A Deed Without a Name: The Witch in Society and History (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781859730539)

Macbeth: How now, you secret, black, and midnight hags? What is't you do?Three Witches: A deed without a name.Macbeth, Act 4, Scene IWhat lessons can we learn from witch beliefs and witch-hunts in traditional societies and in earlier times?This fascinating cross-cultural survey of witchcraft aims to provide undergraduate students of anthropology and history with a comprehensive introduction to the figure of the witch. Case studies of witch-hunts in a broad range of societies -- from medieval Europe to America and tribal Africa -- demonstrate how those individuals who are perceived as a threat to the existing power structure are most vulnerable to being labelled a witch. The author argues that the process of 'labelling' witches has not changed and is used in western societies even today for scapegoating minorities and other groups such as people with AIDS.

Author: Andrew Sanders
ISBN-10: 1859730531
ISBN-13: 9781859730539
Publisher: Berg 3pl
Language: English
Published: 11/01/1995
Pages: 244
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.76lbs
Size: 8.51h x 5.51w x 0.63d