Beyond the Sabbath: Witchcraft and its Stereotypes in Early Modern Europe

The antisocial character of witches has always been perceived as a danger to the established order. While the conventional stereotypes associated with witches have now been questioned and—to some extent—recalibrated, a constant factor that persists is the degree to which the “fama di strega” has played a fundamental role in prosecutorial processes. The aim of this conference is to reassess the broad assumption that social and cultural categories associated with individuals accused of witchcraft in early modern Europe are subject to conflicting perspectives. A crucial point of departure is to address, in light of new archival documentation, the ongoing debate between common perceptions (and misconceptions) and extant historical evidence.