Witches and Demons

A Comparative Perspective on Witchcraft and Satanism

By: Jean La Fontaine

Write A Review

Hardcover | 1 April 2016

At a Glance

Hardcover
156 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.12

Hardcover

$198.73

Aims to ship in 7 to 10 business days

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.

Industry Reviews

"The richness of ethnographic material and historical and anthropological theory makes Witches and Demons an interesting book not only for those who study the Satanism scare or the African diaspora, but for anyone who wants to know more about the background of accusations of Satanism and witchcraft, be it from their Western or African roots or a combination of both." * Reading Religion

"If you are interested in anthropology, this is a must read, as the general aim is understanding the other." * Acta Comparanda

"This is an extremely interesting set of chapters. Together they create a carefully drawn exercise in comparison as a major methodological tool of anthropology, and its advantages and problems. The book is very clearly written, well argued, and fascinating." * Frances Pine, Department of Anthropology, Goldsmiths, University of London

Shipping

	Standard Shipping	Express Shipping
Metro postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Regional postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Rural postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95

How to return your order

At Booktopia, we offer hassle-free returns in accordance with our returns policy. If you wish to return an item, please get in touch with Booktopia Customer Care.

Additional postage charges may be applicable.