HIST 3330 Witches, Demons, and Witch Hunters in European History 3.0 Credits
This course explores the history of magic, witchcraft, and demonology in Europe and its colonies from antiquity through the late 1700s. Students trace the evolution of European ideas about magic and its historical connections to science and religion and consider what sparked the large-scale witch hunts of the 1500s and 1600s and why they eventually faded out. Students also examine questions of historical methods: What does "magic" mean and how easily can it be distinguished from religion, superstition, and science? How can one hope to tell the history of magic, witchcraft, and demonology when so many of the sources were written from a hostile point of view? What sources can be used and how should they be interpreted?.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit