Witch Hunt is the podcast of historical witch trials and modern-day witch-hunts. From the Salem Witch Trials to the ramifications of today's harmful practices related to accusations of witchcraft and ritual attacks, Witch Hunt covers it all. Tune in today to find out why Witch Hunt is an essential podcast for everyone interested in this intriguing subject. #history #witchcraft #SalemWitchTrials #witchhunt
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Coming Soon: The Thing About Salem blows your mind with coverage of the Salem Witch Trials
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1:32Are you curious about the Salem Witch Trials? Fascinated? Intrigued? Maybe even fully obsessed? Josh and Sarah from Witch Hunt podcast bring you The Thing About Salem, a podcast dedicated to uncovering all things about the Salem Witch Trials. Each week, in 15 minutes or less, we go through all the feels as we share a story and a discussion. Togethe…
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Sober and Civil: Sarah Cloyse of Salem with Antonio Stuckey
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58:22In his return to Witch Hunt Podcast, Antonio Stuckey joins hosts Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack to discuss his research and book "Sober and Civil," chronicling the remarkable life of Salem witch trials survivor Sarah Cloyse. As the younger sister of executed victims Rebecca Nurse and Mary Esty, Sarah Cloyse's nine-month imprisonment represents a po…
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Perspectives on Disability, Stigma, and Witchcraft Accusations with Dr. Nora Groce
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44:06Anthropologist Dr. Nora Groce from University College London discusses the troubling connection between disability and witchcraft accusations. Dr. Groce shares her research on why people with disabilities are targeted, including her study on the experience of persons with albinism in East Africa. We explore how traditional beliefs create stigma, di…
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The Myth of the Witches' Flying Ointment with Michael Ostling
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54:37In this scholarly episode of Witch Hunt Podcast, hosts Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack welcome historian Dr. Michael Ostling to examine one of witchcraft history's most persistent legends: the hallucinogenic flying ointment. Dr. Ostling carefully separates historical evidence from modern misconceptions, revealing how contemporary interpretations oft…
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Genetics, Not Magic: Protecting Persons with Albinism in Uganda with Peter Ogik
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54:30In this powerful episode, Josh and Sarah welcome Peter Ogik, Executive Director of Source of the Nile Union of Persons with Albinism in Uganda, who shares his personal story and advocacy work. About our guest: Peter Ogik was born and raised on an island in Lake Victoria, Uganda. As the first person with albinism in his community of about 600 people…
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Mary Bingham on Elizabeth Johnson, Jr, Victim of the Salem Witch Trials
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54:05Discover the once-overlooked story of Elizabeth Johnson Jr., the Salem witch trial victim finally exonerated after 330 years. At just 22, this young Andover woman was pressured into falsely confessing to witchcraft in 1692. She narrowly escaped execution when Governor Phips ended the Salem witch trials. However, she was unjustly left out of the 171…
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Decian Que Era Bruja con Judith Prat ( En Español)
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32:38En el episodio de esta semana del podcast Witch Hunt, Josh y Sarah traducen al inglés cuando el invitado habla en español. Disfruten de esta nueva experiencia como nosotros. Damos la bienvenida a la fotógrafa documental y cineasta española Judith Prat. Con formación en derecho de los derechos humanos, Judith examina con contundencia la persecución …
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They Said She Was a Witch with Judith Prat
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52:02In this week's episode of Witch Hunt podcast, Josh and Sarah translate to English when the guest speaks in Spanish. Please enjoy this new experience like we have.. We welcome Spanish documentary photographer and filmmaker Judith Prat. With a background in human rights law, Judith powerfully examines the persecution of women accused of witchcraft in…
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Miss Albinism Africa with Sierra Leone's Daniella Garrick
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35:27In this powerful episode, we explore the discrimination faced by persons with albinism across Africa through conversations with two remarkable advocates from the Sierra Leone Association of Persons with Albinism (SLAPWA). Join us as we welcome back Jay Kamara, a familiar voice to our listeners, alongside Daniella Garrick, a model, youth leader, and…
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New Research on Witch Branding in Northeast India with Dr. Govind Kelkar
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51:05In this compelling episode, we welcome back returning guest Dr. Govind Kelkar. Building on her previous insights about women's experiences in India, Dr. Kelkar shares her recent groundbreaking research across eight northeastern Indian states, examining the complex interplay between traditional beliefs and modern pressures. Dr. Kelkar's fieldwork re…
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Ending Witch Hunts in the Americas: Podcasthon Edition
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19:54A cornerstone message of our Witch Hunt podcast and End Witch Hunts nonprofit centers on community-based advocacy paired with holistic intervention programs. Experts are illustrating that sustainable change requires coordinated efforts that empower local communities while addressing the complex root causes that perpetuate these harmful practices ac…
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Ending Witch Hunts in Europe: Podcasthon Edition
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21:16Our Ending Witch Hunts Podcasthon series now turns to Europe, home to history's most notorious stories on witch trials. Hosts Sarah and Josh talk about witch persecutions across England, Scotland, Ireland, Italy, Germany, France, and Portugal, while touching on a surprising truth: these aren't just historical events. The episode connects Europe's w…
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Family Dynamics in 17th Century English Witch Trials with Holly Bamford
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55:45In this episode for Podcasthon 2025, we welcome Holly Bamford, a History PhD candidate at Liverpool University who researches late medieval and early modern witchcraft and superstition. Holly examines the historical context of witch hunts through detailed case studies.We met Holly at the Magic and Witchcraft conference in York 2024, one of many aca…
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Ending Witch Hunts in Asia: Podcasthon Edition
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23:10Welcome back to our Podcasthon series, "Ending Witch Hunts." In this fourth installment, Josh and Sarah explore the pervasive issue of witch hunts across Asia. As Sarah notes, "The witch hunting story continues to unfold in ways many people don't realize." We examine how witch hunts and witch branding remain significant problems throughout parts of…
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Ending Witch Hunts in Papua New Guinea: Podcasthon Edition
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23:46Welcome back to our Podcasthon series, "Ending Witch Hunts." In this third installment of our Podcasthon series, Josh and Sarah continue the full story of witch hunting by examining contemporary SARV- sorcery accusations and related violence in Papua New Guinea. As Sarah reveals, "The witch hunting story is bigger than just what most people know. P…
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Ending Witch Hunts in Africa: Podcasthon Edition
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40:23Welcome back to our Podcathon series, "Ending Witch Hunts." In this second installment, Josh and Sarah continue the full story of witch hunting by examining contemporary witch hunts across Africa. As Sarah reveals, "The witch hunting story is bigger than just what most people know. Pull back each layer and you find that witch hunts aren't a tall ta…
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Ending Witch Hunts: Podcasthon 2025 Edition
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29:46Join us each day March 15-21 as we participate in Podcasthon 2025, where more than 1,500 podcasters unite to amplify causes close to their hearts. We're proud to participate with our nonprofit End Witch Hunts, which is working to educate about persecution of alleged witches worldwide. When you think of the Salem Witch Trials, it might seem like anc…
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Victoria Canning: Criminology Perspectives on Witchcraft Persecution, Violence, and Torture
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51:13In this episode, Professor Victoria Canning from Lancaster University discusses the overlooked intersection of criminology and witchcraft persecution. Through the lens of "zemiology"—the study of social harm—Canning examines how witchcraft accusations create profound physical, psychological, and cultural damage.Central to our conversation is her co…
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International Women's Day Stories: The 1933 Burning of Arminda de Jesus for Witchcraft in Soalhaes, Portugal
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24:37This International Women's Day, we revisit the story of Arminda de Jesus, a 32-year-old mother accused of witchcraft in 1933 Portugal. Through our interview with Dr. Inês Tadeu from the University of Madeira, we present the historical facts of this little-known case from the village of Soalhães. Dr. Tadeu's research through trial records and newspa…
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Witchcraft Accusations and Women's Rights: An International Women's Day Special
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24:46Join us for an informative International Women's Day 2025 episode where we explore this year's theme: "Accelerate Action." We're shining a light on a global crisis often hidden from headlines - women and girls being accused of witchcraft, subjected to violence, exiled from their communities, and even killed. Discover how International Women's Day i…
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Salem Witch Trials on Stage: John Proctor is the Villain with Jane Barnette
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47:50Professor and author Jane Barnette from the University of Kansas joins us for a discussion on how witch trial narratives continue to influence our cultural understanding. She shares about her groundbreaking production of Kimberly Bellflower's "John Procter is the Villain" - a contemporary play that boldly reexamines "The Crucible" through the lens …
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Exorcisms and Stigmata in the 19th and 20th centuries with Kristof Smeyers
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50:33Learn about stigmata and exorcisms with an in-depth conversation with historian Kristof Smeyers, a leading expert on the history of science, religion, and magic during the 19th and 20th centuries. The discussion begins with Kristof's extensive research on stigmata, exploring the complex phenomenon of the wounds of Christ appearing on people's bodie…
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Understanding Sorcery Accusations in Papua New Guinea with Anton Lutz
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51:18Witchcraft and sorcery accusations continue to plague our world in the 21st century. Join us as we explore the complex issue of sorcery accusation-related violence (SARV) in Papua New Guinea through the lens of Anton Lutz, a human rights defender working directly with affected communities. Drawing from his extensive experience living in PNG and dev…
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Remembering the Innocent Victims of Connecticut's Witch Trials: Event Recap
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32:22Remembering the Innocent Victims of Connecticut’s Witch Trials was a first-of-its-kind tribute held in Hartford, Connecticut on February 1, 2025. This special episode recaps the event, which was a celebration of the recent exoneration of those accused and a remembrance of the victims. It was held at the Old State House, a former seat of the state g…
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Mapping Tragedy: How Geography Shaped the Salem Witch Trials with Marilynne K. Roach
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40:26How did geography shape the Salem Witch Trials? Join returning guest, author, and Salem Witch Trials expert Marilynne K. Roach as she maps the physical landscape of colonial Massachusetts where witch accusations spread in 1692. From the newly identified execution site at Procter's Ledge to the tense boundary between Salem Village and Salem Tow. Dis…
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Coming February 1, 2025: Remembering the Innocent Victims of Connecticut's Witch Trials
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24:45In this special bonus episode of Witch Hunt podcast, hosts Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack announce a groundbreaking commemoration of Connecticut's witch trial history. The event, "Remembering the Innocent Victims of Connecticut's Witch Trials," marks the first official recognition following the 2023 legislative resolution that absolved those accuse…
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Coercive Control with Kacey Baker of The Cult Vault Podcast
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51:43
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51:43In this illuminating conversation, Kacey Baker, host of The Cult Vault podcast, shares her journey from lockdown podcaster to advocate and expert in coercive control. What began as a way to stay mentally stimulated during COVID isolation while caring for her newborn has evolved into nearly 400 episodes featuring survivor stories and in-depth discus…
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Justice for Witches: Pardoning Britain's Accused with Charlotte Meredith
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43:31Between 1542 and 1735, British courts convicted over 3,000 people under witchcraft legislation. Now, author Charlotte Meredith is leading a campaign to secure their pardons. We first met Charlotte at this fall's Witchcraft and Human Rights Conference in Lancaster, where advocates gathered to address both historical and modern witch hunts. Her work …
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Maryland Witch Trial Exoneration with Elizabeth Pugliese-Shaw
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48:23"Witch Hunt" explores Maryland's forgotten witch trial history through a revealing conversation with attorney Elizabeth Pugliese-Shaw, who's spearheading efforts to exonerate those accused of witchcraft in colonial Maryland. While the colony saw fewer witch trials than its Puritan neighbors, these cases still resulted in tragedy – including the 168…
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Speak of the Devil with Richard Raiswell
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1:09:33Explore the fascinating evolution of the concept of the Devil in Western civilization with medieval devil lore expert Dr. Richard Raiswell from the University of Prince Edward Island. Dr. Raiswell reveals how our modern understanding of the devil emerged not only from biblical texts, but through centuries of popular belief and cultural transformati…
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La Befana: Italy’s Beloved Epiphany Gift Giver with Debora Moretti
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55:04Join returning guest historian and researcher Dr. Debora Moretti for a fascinating journey through centuries of Italian folklore as she invites you to get to know La Befana, Italy's beloved Epiphany gift-giver. This beloved figure's dual nature - from benevolent grandmother to harbinger of fortune - has endured through generations of Italian tradit…
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The Surprising Origins of American Christmas Traditions
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31:03Explore the fascinating transformation of Christmas traditions in America, revealing how many of our cherished customs emerged more recently than we might imagine. Examine Christmas celebrations in colonial America, where the holiday bore little resemblance to today's family-centered observance. Through court records and historical accounts, we lea…
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Before the Witch Hunts: the Albigensian Crusade with Louis Pulford
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53:53Historian Louis Pulford reveals how a 13th-century religious persecution became the blueprint for centuries of persecution. The Albigensian Crusade (1209-1229) marked the first time the Catholic Church turned its crusading armies inward, targeting the Cathar religious minority in southern France. Pulford, who recently completed his PhD research on …
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Human Rights Day and Albinism: Muluka-Anne Miti-Drummond on Witchcraft Accusations and Ritual Attacks
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43:38On Human Rights Day, December 10th, marking 76 years since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we explore one of humanity's ongoing challenges: how differences continue to be met with fear, persecution, and violence. We welcome special guest Muluka-Anne Miti-Drummond, United Nations Independent Expert on the Enjoyment of Human Rights by Pers…
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Witch Hunt x Witches of Scotland with Zoe Venditozzi and Claire Mitchell
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36:31Join us for an exciting collaboration as Witch Hunt meets Witches of Scotland in this special crossover episode. Hosts Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack sit down with Zoe Venditozzi and Claire Mitchell to explore the parallel paths of witch trial justice advocacy across the Atlantic. From Connecticut to Scotland, discover how these podcasters are work…
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Modern Witch Hunts: Human Rights and Legal Solutions with Kirsty Brimelow KC
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48:24Explore the pressing global challenge of modern witch hunts with Kirsty Brimelow KC, one of Britain's leading human rights barristers and incoming vice chair of the Bar Council. Drawing parallels between harmful traditional practices worldwide, Brimelow shares insights from her groundbreaking work developing protection orders and contributing to th…
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A Modern Witchcraft Accusation: The 1933 Burning of Arminda de Jesus in Soalhaes, Portugal with Inês Tadeu
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52:20In February 1933, while the world was entering the age of radio and automobiles, individuals from the town of Soalhaes, Portugal burned a woman accused of witchcraft. The victim was Arminda de Jesus, a 32-year-old mother of two children, known locally for her kindness and for helping her troubled neighbor. That same neighbor would accuse her of wit…
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Witchcraft and Stagecraft: Unmasking Wicked's Magic with Paul Laird and Jane Barnette
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50:09We step behind Broadway's emerald curtain to explore Wicked with two leading scholars. The University of Kansas' Paul Laird, professor emeritus of musicology, received unprecedented access as Stephen Schwartz composed his blockbuster musical and wrote the definitive book on its making, Wicked: a Musical Biography. His colleague Jane Barnette is a p…
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Wicked Movie: The Making of a Witch
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1:01:43Wicked Movie: The Making of a Witch explores the nuanced and powerful portrayal of witches in the highly anticipated Wicked movie. Witch Hunt podcast hosts Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack delve into their immediate reactions and the deeper social themes conveyed through the film. From the breath-catching spectacle of Galinda's grand entrance to the …
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On Protecting Persons with Albinism with Jay Mohammed Osman Kamara
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50:08We explore the urgent human rights crisis affecting people with albinism in Africa. Expert guest Jay Mohammed Osman Kamara, Executive Director of the Sierra Leone Association of Persons with Albinism (SLAPWA), discusses protecting persons with albinism and the critical significance of UN Resolution 47/8 on eliminating harmful practices related to w…
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Goody Glover: The Full Story of Boston's Last Witchcraft Execution
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1:22:08Discover the heartbreaking true story of Goody Glover, an Irish Catholic immigrant who became the last person executed for witchcraft in Boston in 1688. Occurring four years before the infamous Salem Witch Trials began, Glover's case clearly illustrates the injustice of colonial New England's witch hunting history. Standing alone between the 1656 e…
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The Fight Against Gender-Based Violence: Perspectives and Strategies with Reference to Accusations of Witchcraft
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52:50Welcome to Witch Hunt, the investigative podcast exploring modern-day witch hunting in India. In this eye-opening episode, we investigate a critical human rights crisis: the systematic persecution of women through witchcraft accusations. The statistics are haunting: over 2,000 documented witch-hunting murders between 2000-2012—with countless more c…
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Halloween 101: Origins of Fright Night
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1:06:56Modern Halloween emerges from diverse cultural and religious traditions, each contributing distinct elements to today's celebrations. From the Celtic festival of Samhain to the Roman Catholic Hallowtide, this episode uncovers the historical threads that connect ancient celebrations to contemporary practices. We examine the influences of Roman festi…
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Fearing the Devil: A Cultural History of America’s Satanic Panic with Scott Culpepper
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1:00:40Returning guest Dr. Scott Culpepper, professor at Dordt University, joins us to examine the social phenomenon known as the Satanic Panic of the 1980s and early 1990s. Drawing from his extensive research for his forthcoming scholarly book and his novel, "The Demonologists' Daughters," Dr. Culpepper analyzes how this period of heightened social anxie…
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In this episode of "Witch Hunt," guest host Antonio Stuckey explores the life and tragic fate of Alice Parker, a victim of the 1692 Salem witch trials. The podcast delves into Parker's background as a resident of Salem Town and her marriage to a local fisherman. Stuckey discusses the accusations against Parker, her arrest, and the subsequent legal …
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Secrets of the Basque Witch Hunt with Jan Machielsen
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46:09Explore one of Europe's most notorious witch hunts - the Basque Witch Trials in France and Spain - with historian Jan Machielsen, author of the new release "The Basque Witch Hunt: A Secret History." We uncover the complex factors behind the trials, including the role of sex-obsessed judge Pierre de Lancre. Machielsen shares the unique Basque Sabbat…
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In this episode, we explore the life and tragic fate of Martha Cory, one of the victims of the 1692 Salem Witch Trials. Learn about: - Martha's background and the mysteries surrounding her early life - The events that led to her accusation of witchcraft - Her experiences during the trials - The surprising role her husband played in her story - Mart…
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Witch Hunt Podcast Goes to England to Speak about Ending Witch Hunts
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1:11:08Join Sarah and Josh as they talk about their recent experiences at two dynamic UK conferences focused on witchcraft and human rights. In this fun and reflective episode, our hosts share the insights gained from the York CREMS Magic and Witchcraft Conference 2024 and the Lancaster "Witchcraft and Human Rights: Past, Present, Future" conference, whic…
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Grace Sherwood: The Witch of Pungo with Scott O. Moore
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57:48Fresh from the release of his book The Witch of Pungo: Grace Sherwood in Virginia, historian Scott O. Moore joins us to uncover the true story behind colonial Virginia's only witch trial. In 1706, Grace Sherwood faced an unusual trial by water—but what really happened, and why does it still captivate us today? Moore examines both the legend and rea…
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In this gripping episode of Salem Witch Hunt 101, we delve into the pivotal period of March 8-24, 1692, when the Salem witch trials reached a fever pitch. We explore the dramatic escalation of accusations and arrests that rocked Salem Village, including the unexpected cases of respected community members Martha Cory and Rebecca Nurse, as well as th…
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