Witches and Demons: A Comparative Perspective on Witchcraft and Satanism (Studies in Public and Applied Anthropology Book 10)

Devil worship, black magic and witchcraft have long captivated anthropologists as well as the general public. In this volume, Jean La Fontaine explores the intersection of expert and lay understandings of evil and the cultural forms that evil assumes. The chapters touch on public scares about devil-worship, misconceptions about human sacrifice and the use of body parts in healing practices, and mistaken accusations of children practicing witchcraft. Together, these cases demonstrate that comparison is a powerful method of cultural understanding, but warns of the dangers and mistaken conclusions that untrained ideas about other ways of life can lead to. -- Provided by publisher. Contents Acknowledgements Introduction: Understanding the Other Chapter 1 Hidden Enemies: Evil at the End of the Millennium Chapter 2 Concepts of Evil, Witchcraft and the Sexual Abuse of Children in Modern England Chapter 3 Ritual Murder? Chapter 4 Magic and Medicine: The Torso in the Thames Chapter 5 Child Witches in London: Tradition and Change in Religious Belief Chapter 6 Evil and Children: The Morality of Childhood Chapter 7 Pastors and Witches Chapter 8 London’s Witch Children Conclusion: Continuities and Changes Index