Witches and Neighbours The Social and Cultural Context of European Witchcraft [Hardcover]

Witches and Neighbours is a highly original and unconventional analysis of a fascinating historical phenomenon. Unlike other studies of the subject which focus on the mechanisms of persecution, this book presents a rich picture of witchcraft as an all-pervasive aspect of life in early modern Europe.

This book is not available from Blackwell in the United States and the Philippines.

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• A fascinating and accessible account of the central role of witchcraft in early modern Europe.
  
• A standard work on the subject of witchcraft now available in a revised edition with an updated bibliography.
  
• Presents an unconventional interpretation of the role and influence of witchcraft
  
• Argues that witchcraft was as complex and changing as the society of which it formed a vital part.
  
• Draws on a range of original sources to vividly illustrate the arguments.

Maps ix

Preface to the Second Edition xiv

Preface to the First Edition xv

Introduction 1

1 Myths of the Perfect Witch 12

2 The Experience of Bewitchment 51

3 Supernatural Power and Magical Remedies 82

4 The Projection of Evil 115

5 Witch-Finders and Witch Cures 146

6 Love and Hatred: Spouses and Kin 191

7 Men against Women: The Gendering of Witchcraft 224

8 The Age of Iron 250

9 The Web of Power 276

10 Internal and External Worlds 321

Conclusion 343

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