Theories of Witchcraft in Practice: F.G. Bailey’s ‘The Witch-Hunt’

Dossier / Travail de Séminaire , 2007 , 21 Pages , Note: 1,3

Ethnologie / Anthropologie Culturelle

To most people growing up in a Western cultural setting, magic, sorcery and witchcraft hold a certain fascination. There always seems to be something mysterious, extraordinary, even risky to the named issues, probably because we just don’t face them in everyday life.
Anthropology shares this fascination for the following reasons: “cross-cultural prevalence, frequent cultural prominence, paradoxical attributes, no doubt the attraction of the exotic, and the potential for testing theories about belief and social action” (Levine 1982: 259). In this paper, I will focus mainly on the subject of witchcraft without disregarding important links to magic and sorcery. Central questions are: What is witchcraft? Under what circumstances does witchcraft appear? Why do people accuse others of it or confess to witchcraft themselves? How does witchcraft relate to the social structure, economics, politics and personal affairs of the members of a society?
There have been different answers to those questions since the first papers on magic, sorcery, and witchcraft have been written in the late 19th and early 20th century. In chapter 2, I will therefore present a historical overview of the most important approaches in general which are also especially important for this study. Theories by Frazer, Tylor, Malinowski, Evans- Pritchard and Douglas will be sketched out. Beforehand I will try to discern the concepts of magic, witchcraft and sorcery in chapter 1 and name their most important aspects. This differ-entiation is important to do, since the meanings of the named terms have changed over the decades and there is still a bit of disaccord or confusion in the use and understanding of them today. In chapter 3, I will give a résumé of the monography 'The Witch-Hunt; or: a Triumph of Morality' by F.G. Bailey which is based on his fieldwork in an Indian village in 1953. He uses several anthropological approaches to explain and interpret the exceptional events that have taken place, drawing on functional, structural and psychological theories. Also in chapter 3, I will point out how Bailey provides empiric examples for theories stated by great anthropolo- gists over the decades. Lastly, I will draw a conclusion and try to answer the questions I posed above.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Introduction
• 'Magic', 'Sorcery', and 'Witchcraft': Definitions and Concepts
  • 'Magic'
  • 'Sorcery' and 'Witchcraft'
• Historical Overview of Theories on Magic, Sorcery and Witchcraft
• Theories in Practice: F.G. Bailey's "The Witch-Hunt"
  • The Setting
  • The Witch-Hunt: the Events
  • The Witch-Hunt: Interpretations
• Conclusion

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This paper aims to explore the concept of witchcraft in the context of South Asia, particularly examining the theories and practices of the occult. It will delve into the historical development of anthropological perspectives on magic, sorcery, and witchcraft, focusing on the work of F.G. Bailey and his study of "The Witch-Hunt." The paper will also examine the social and cultural implications of witchcraft accusations and confessions, exploring how they relate to social structures, economics, politics, and personal affairs.

• Definitions and concepts of magic, sorcery, and witchcraft.
• Historical development of anthropological theories on magic, sorcery, and witchcraft.
• The role of witchcraft in social structures, economics, and politics.
• The psychological and social implications of witchcraft accusations and confessions.
• Empirical examples of witchcraft practices and beliefs in South Asia.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

The introduction provides a general overview of the topic and outlines the main questions that will be addressed throughout the paper. It highlights the fascination with magic, sorcery, and witchcraft in both Western culture and anthropology, and introduces the central themes of the paper.

Chapter 1 defines and explores the concepts of magic, sorcery, and witchcraft. It discusses the cultural-specific nature of these terms and the challenges of applying Western definitions to diverse cultural contexts. The chapter also examines the relationship between magic and science, rationality and irrationality, and the social implications of magic, sorcery, and witchcraft.

Chapter 2 presents a historical overview of key anthropological theories on magic, sorcery, and witchcraft. It outlines the contributions of prominent anthropologists such as Frazer, Tylor, Malinowski, Evans-Pritchard, and Douglas, highlighting their different perspectives on the nature and function of magical practices and beliefs.

Chapter 3 focuses on F.G. Bailey's study "The Witch-Hunt," examining his fieldwork in an Indian village in 1953. The chapter analyzes the events surrounding the witch-hunt, exploring the interpretations and explanations offered by Bailey, and demonstrating how his work exemplifies various anthropological theories.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The main keywords and focus topics of this paper include: magic, sorcery, witchcraft, anthropology, South Asia, social structures, economics, politics, personal affairs, witchcraft accusations, confessions, F.G. Bailey, "The Witch-Hunt," cultural context, rationality, irrationality, functionalism, structuralism, psychological theories.

• Université: University of Heidelberg (Institut für Ethnologie)
• Cours: Sorcery and Witchcraft in South Asia: Theories and Practices of the Occult
• Note: 1,3
• Auteur: Carolin Duss (Auteur)
• Année de publication: 2007
• Pages: 21
• N° de catalogue: V145744
• ISBN (ebook): 9783640565818
• ISBN (Livre): 9783640566365
• Langue: anglais
• mots-clé: witchcraft, magic, witch-hunt, sorcery, Frazer, Malinowksi, Evans-Pritchard, Tylor, Douglas