Agents of the Invisible World by Northcott, Molly;

Rövid leírás:

Agents of the Invisible World explores an underappreciated aspect of early modern witchcraft trials: children. This work analyses the various roles children played in English and New English witchcraft trials between 1589-1692, seeking to understand not only how children became involved in witchcraft trials but why.

Hosszú leírás:

Agents of the Invisible World explores an underappreciated aspect of the well-researched early modern witchcraft trials: children. In particular, this work analyses the various roles children played in English and New English witchcraft trials between 1589 and 1692, seeking to understand not only how children became involved in witchcraft trials but why.

Using primary sources, including legal documents, pamphlets and hitherto overlooked archival materials, this book reveals that children were not always passive accusers who identified witches, but could be aggressive in their denunciations, sometimes even being accused of witchcraft themselves. By once again allowing these children to take centre stage, Northcott uncovers the haunting history behind children’s pervasive involvement in witchcraft trials on both sides of the Atlantic. Readers are guided through thirty-six case studies from England and New England, making this the most detailed work on the role of children in England and New England to date. The main themes discussed include agency, motivation, influence and impact, incorporating multidisciplinary insights and principles from feminism, anthropology, history of emotion, social, cultural and religious studies.

This volume is a valuable resource for students, scholars and anyone interested in concepts of early modern witchcraft and magic, children and childhood, and social history.

Tartalomjegyzék:

Acknowledgements                             

List of Abbreviations

Maps                                             

Introduction: Troublesome Children and the Trouble with Children                                                         

Chapter One: Understanding Concepts of the ‘Child’, ‘Childhood’ and
Their Role in Witch-Hunting More Broadly                                                                                                                              

Chapter Two: Pre-1589, The Children Who Set the Scene                                                                            

Chapter Three: 1589-1604, The Children that Shook the Adult World                                                                                                          

Chapter Four: 1612-1662, The Children Who Called the Shots and the Children No One Believed                                                            

Chapter Five: 1648-1688, The New English Children that Set the Scene and
the Children that Shook the Adult World                                                                               

Chapter Six: 1692, The Children Who Devastated New England                                                               

Conclusion: 1692 and Beyond, The Children that Tried Anything                                                           

Epilogue

Appendix A: Catalogue of Children in English Witchcraft Trials                                             

Appendix B: Catalogue of Children in New English Witchcraft Trials                                   

Select Bibliography

Index