Ian's Witch Blog

  At the beginning of class a few weeks ago, we observed various pictures of witches consorting and capering with devils. When asked for similarities between the pictures, most answers focused on the human members of these demonic dance parties, not their hosts. However, in my opinion, the eeriest correlation was with the demons themselves. Their satyr-like appearance in almost every picture was seemingly taken for granted. Since these depictions do not dramatically differ from those in modern-day media, it appears many people do not bat an eye at the thought of witches hoofing it with goat-men. But why is this the case? Let’s take a look: The Scapegoat: According to the Old Testament, there was a large ceremony once a year called the Day of Atonement. Before this ceremony, Ancient Israelites would cleanse themselves – both literally and ritualistically – of the sins committed in the year prior. This practice was also carried out on a communal level. Every year, the High Priest...

  Expecting shrinks and spells, the etymology of Accio and the chronology of Ancient cults, the concept of Othering was one of the last things I expected to discuss last Wednesday. Yet, nonetheless, its discussion in this class was extremely apt. Though it may have caught me off guard initially, half a second of careful consideration helped realize just how applicable it is to 1690’s Salem and the fates of other magical practitioners throughout space and time. To refresh, Othering is concept derived from the social psychology sphere that attempts to determine why and how humans group themselves into categories such as race, gender, and other common identifiers. For the unfortunate out-group, it usually leads to dehumanization, marginalization, and the occasional stake burning. It is frequently mentioned in the context of legal, epistemological, and sociological studies. In fact, classes on these subjects were where the term first reached my ears. So, again, imagine my surprise...