Gender at Stake : Male Witches in Early Modern Europe

This book critiques historians’ assumptions about witch-hunting as well as their explanations for this complex and perplexing phenomenon. It shows that large numbers of men were accused of witchcraft in their own right, in some regions, more men were accused than women. The authors insist on the centrality of gender, tradition, and ideas about witches in the construction of the witch as a dangerous figure. They challenge the marginalization of male witches by feminist and other historians. "Male witches in early modern Europe provides a critique of historians' assumptions about witch-hunting and the many explanations for the origins of this complex and perplexing phenomenon. The authors insist on the centrality of gender, tradition and ideas about witches in the construction of the witch as a dangerous figure. In doing so, they challenge the marginalisation of male witches by many historians, in particular those writing with a feminist agenda. The book shows that large numbers of men were accused of witchcraft in their own right, and in some regions men were accused more often than women. The authors analyse ideas about witches and witch prosecution as gendered artefacts of patriarchal societies, under which both sexes suffered. They challenge recent arguments and current orthodoxies by applying crucial insights from feminist scholarship on gender to a selection of statistical arguments, social-historical explanations, traditional feminist history and primary sources, including trial records and demonological literature. This important critique of current practices in witchcraft studies will be of particular interest to scholars and students in undergraduate and graduate courses in early modern history, religion, culture, gender studies and methodology. Book jacket."--Jacket Gender at stake critiques historians' assumptions about witch-hunting as well as their explanations for this complex and perplexing phenomenon. The authors insist on the centrality of gender, tradition and ideas about witches in the construction of the witch as a dangerous figure. They challenge the marginalisation of male witches by feminist and other historians.

The book shows that large numbers of men were accused of witchcraft in their own right, in some regions, more men were accused than women. The authors analyse ideas about witches and witch prosecution as gendered artefacts of patriarchal societies under which both women and men suffered. They challenge recent arguments and current orthodoxies by applying crucial insights from feminist scholarship on gender to a selection of statistical arguments, social-historical explanations, traditional feminist history and primary sources, including trial records and demonological literature.

The authors assessment of current orthodoxies concerning the causes and origins of witch-hunting will be of particular interest to scholars and students in undergraduate and graduate courses in early modern history, religion, culture, gender studies and methodology.

This electronic version has been made available under a Creative Commons (BY-NC-ND) open access license. This is the first ever full book on the subject of male witches addressing incidents of witch-hunting in both Britain and Europe. Uses feminist categories of gender analysis to critique the feminist agenda that mars many studies. Advances a more bal. Critiques historians'assumptions about witch-hunting, challenging the marginalisation of male witches by feminist and other historians. Shows that large numbers of men were accused of witchcraft in their own right, in some regions, more men were accused than women. It uses feminist categories of gender analysis to challenge recent arguments and current orthodoxies providing a more balanced and complex view of witch-hunting and ideas about witches in their gendered forms than has hitherto been available. This is the first ever full book on the subject of male witches addressing incidents of witch-hunting in both Britain and Europe. Uses feminist categories of gender analysis to critique the feminist agenda that mars many studies. Advances a more bal. Critiques historians assumptions about witch-hunting, challenging the marginalisation of male witches by feminist and other historians. Shows that large numbers of men were accused of witchcraft in their own right, in some regions, more men were accused than women. It uses feminist categories of gender analysis to challenge recent arguments and current orthodoxies providing a more balanced and complex view of witch-hunting and ideas about witches in their gendered forms than has hitherto been available. CONTENTS......Page 6 FIGURES......Page 7 PREFACE AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS......Page 10 INTRODUCTION......Page 12 1 INVISIBLE MEN: THE HISTORIAN AND THE MALE WITCH......Page 36 2 SECONDARY TARGETS? MALE WITCHES ON TRIAL......Page 54 3 TORTURED CONFESSIONS: AGENCY AND SELFHOOD AT STAKE......Page 76 4 LITERALLY UNTHINKABLE? DEMONOLOGICAL DESCRIPTIONS OF MALE WITCHES......Page 106 5 CONCEPTUAL WEBS: THE GENDERING OF WITCHCRAFT......Page 129 CONCLUSION AND AFTERWORD......Page 162 APPENDIX JOHANNES JUNIUS: BAMBERG’S FAMOUS MALE WITCH......Page 170 BIBLIOGRAPHY......Page 178 INDEX......Page 198 This study of male witches addresses incidents of witch-hunting in Britain and Europe, using feminist categories of gender analysis to critique the feminist agenda that mars many studies. It advances a more balanced and complex view of witch-hunting and ideas about witches in their gendered forms Lara Apps And Andrew Gow. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 167-185) And Index.