The figure of the witch (both real and imagined) is inherently political and potentially contentious. Each wave of feminism has reflected on shifting considerations of the witch as evocative of issues around gender, power and, more recently, intersectional aspects of identity. More recent critical engagement with witches and witchcraft reflects a transition, transcending disciplinary boundaries and positioning the witch in line with shifting contemporary debates. This shift moves the witch beyond the symbolic or the individual to consider both the interconnected and disparate nature of the witch. We can, instead, see the witch as a key component in movements of political change, as activist alongside the spiritual explorer.
This volume will focus on the types of activisms undertaken in relation to witch identities and witchcraft. For the purposes of the volume, we will consider activism in its broadest sense. Chapters might address, for example, the extent to which witchcraft can challenge notions of gender and sexuality, engage with decolonial movements and ideas, and other aspects of identity. The volume invites authors to consider whether witchcraft praxis, beliefs and connections to the natural and social world propel self-identifying witches towards activism across various political landscapes. This may span disciplines including sociology, religious studies, and politics. The volume also seeks to consider scholarly approaches to the way that cultural representations of the witch can engage with and address the witch as activist or witchcraft as activism, this might include literature, art, film, TV, social media and other cultural media.
- The alignment of witchcraft with international ideas and movements such as #MeToo, decolonisation, political activism
- The ethics of witchcraft practice as a political tool, including perceptions of the witch or witch community, the dark side of witchcraft, performative hexing
- The dispersion of witch tropes and practice beyond the practitioner community
- Global approaches to witchcraft, and the persecution of accused witches in a variety of cultural contexts
- The politics of leveraging witchcraft accusations as a disciplinary tool
- Challenging and reimagining feminist approaches to the mytho-historical background of the witch
- Developing and extending the notion of spiritual activism as potently political
- Considering the areas above in relation to fictional representation of the witch across forms
Deadline: 22nd May for proposals. Between 300-500 words. Please include a short bio of 50 words.
We anticipate that final chapters will be 5000-6000 words.
Abstracts welcome from independent researchers and practitioners as well as those with academic affiliations.
Editors: Dr Zoë Enstone (York St. John University) and Dr Sharon Jagger (York St. John University)