Witchcraft in Popular Culture

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

This course will examine issues in global history through an exploration of witchcraft including gender, race, and class. From the fear of women's independence and sexual expression to mistrust of ethnic and religious others, many fictional portrayals of witches have distinctly gendered and racial undertones. At other times, witchcraft is portrayed as an avenue to contest patriarchal institutions. In what ways can the figure of the witch symbolize freedom, creativity, rebellion, and sisterhood? How do select narratives of witchcraft draw inspiration from non-European and non-Christian religious practices?