Witches: Myth and Reality (CENS 307 101)

Winter 2024/25 Term 1

Tentative Course Outline. The information here is subject to change.

Lecture: Tuesdays/Thursdays, 11-12:30

Professor: Dr. Kyle Frackman (kyle.frackman@ubc.ca), Department of Central, Eastern, and Northern European Studies (CENES)

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Course Description

CENS 307 examines ideas of the witch, witchcraft, and magic from their early historical constructions to recent cultural adaptations. Following these ideas and their relationship to the creation of outsiders, our main topics will be early pagan and Christian religious beliefs; the conflict and overlap of these beliefs in the medieval and early modern periods, including the height of the witch hunts; images of witches in folklore and fairy tales; recent representations of witchcraft in literature, film, and other media; and contemporary witchcraft. The reading and viewing assignments consist of witch-related materials, including historical records; literary, film, and other media representations; scholarly analyses; and other work examining witches, witchcraft, and magic from numerous perspectives.

What will you learn?

• to describe the origins of Western ideas of witchcraft and magic
• to describe characteristics, causes, and effects of witch persecutions in the medieval and early modern periods
• to compare witches and magical figures in various cultural and historical contexts and time periods
• to relate identity categories like gender, race, religion, class, etc. to the creation of outsider figures

What will you need?

Readings and other materials will be available via Canvas and UBC Library.

What can you do with this course?

In addition to learning about witches and magic, you will be able to use this course to satisfy various requirements. The course counts toward several degree programs, including a Minor in Nordic Studies or a Minor in German Studies. If you have questions about these opportunities, speak with Dr. Frackman or your program advisor.

What about grading?

The course grade in CENS 307 has three main components: (1) attendance, participation, and preparation; (2) unit tests; and (3) the final assignment.

What is the plan for the term?

CENS 307 is primarily divided into 6 sections.

1. Non-, Early, and Pre-Christian Magic and Witchcraft (including biblical, Norse/Viking, and Sámi practices)
2. Catholic Magic and Witchcraft (Satan, Trials and Torture, and Antisemitism)
3. Protestant Magic and Witchcraft (Martin Luther + Media Revolutions)
4. Magic and Witchcraft in Colonial North America (Puritans and the Salem Witch Trials + Indigenous-Settler Relations)
5. Folk and Fairy Tale Magic and Witchcraft (Grimms’ tales, Nordic folklore)
6. Modern Witches (Film, television, and other media + Modern witchcraft and Neopaganism)