Professor and author Jane Barnette from the University of Kansas joins us for a discussion on how witch trial narratives continue to influence our cultural understanding. She shares about her groundbreaking production of Kimberly Bellflower's "John Procter is the Villain" - a contemporary play that boldly reexamines "The Crucible" through the lens of #MeToo, premiering at the University of Kansas just days before its Broadway debut. “John Procter is the Villain" considers Arthur Miller's messagi...
Feb 26, 2025•48 min•Ep. 129
Learn about stigmata and exorcisms with an in-depth conversation with historian Kristof Smeyers, a leading expert on the history of science, religion, and magic during the 19th and 20th centuries. The discussion begins with Kristof's extensive research on stigmata, exploring the complex phenomenon of the wounds of Christ appearing on people's bodies. Kristof delves into notable historical cases, such as those of medieval stigmatics including St. Francis of Assisi, and contrasts them with lesser-...
Feb 20, 2025•51 min•Ep. 128
Witchcraft and sorcery accusations continue to plague our world in the 21st century. Join us as we explore the complex issue of sorcery accusation-related violence (SARV) in Papua New Guinea through the lens of Anton Lutz, a human rights defender working directly with affected communities. Drawing from his extensive experience living in PNG and developing educational initiatives, Lutz provides insight into how these accusations unfold within a nation of over 800 distinct cultural groups. The dis...
Feb 12, 2025•51 min•Ep. 127
Remembering the Innocent Victims of Connecticut’s Witch Trials was a first-of-its-kind tribute held in Hartford, Connecticut on February 1, 2025. This special episode recaps the event, which was a celebration of the recent exoneration of those accused and a remembrance of the victims. It was held at the Old State House, a former seat of the state government, and was attended by community members, descendants, historians, and teachers. The event featured a variety of activities, including a play,...
Feb 10, 2025•32 min
How did geography shape the Salem Witch Trials? Join returning guest, author, and Salem Witch Trials expert Marilynne K. Roach as she maps the physical landscape of colonial Massachusetts where witch accusations spread in 1692. From the newly identified execution site at Procter's Ledge to the tense boundary between Salem Village and Salem Tow. Discover if property disputes and travel routes fueled America's most notorious witch hunt. Through modern research and historical maps, uncover why loca...
Feb 05, 2025•40 min•Ep. 126
In this special bonus episode of Witch Hunt podcast, hosts Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack announce a groundbreaking commemoration of Connecticut's witch trial history. The event, "Remembering the Innocent Victims of Connecticut's Witch Trials," marks the first official recognition following the 2023 legislative resolution that absolved those accused of witchcraft in colonial Connecticut. The hosts paint a compelling picture of the upcoming event, scheduled for February 1st, 2025, at Connecticut'...
Jan 30, 2025•25 min
In this illuminating conversation, Kacey Baker, host of The Cult Vault podcast, shares her journey from lockdown podcaster to advocate and expert in coercive control. What began as a way to stay mentally stimulated during COVID isolation while caring for her newborn has evolved into nearly 400 episodes featuring survivor stories and in-depth discussions about cults and coercive control. Baker recently completed her master's degree in the psychology of coercive control, bringing academic rigor to...
Jan 29, 2025•52 min•Ep. 125
Between 1542 and 1735, British courts convicted over 3,000 people under witchcraft legislation. Now, author Charlotte Meredith is leading a campaign to secure their pardons. We first met Charlotte at this fall's Witchcraft and Human Rights Conference in Lancaster, where advocates gathered to address both historical and modern witch hunts. Her work is so compelling that we knew we needed to bring this conversation to our listeners. Her "Justice for Witches" campaign gathered over 13,000 signature...
Jan 22, 2025•44 min•Ep. 124
"Witch Hunt" explores Maryland's forgotten witch trial history through a revealing conversation with attorney Elizabeth Pugliese-Shaw, who's spearheading efforts to exonerate those accused of witchcraft in colonial Maryland. While the colony saw fewer witch trials than its Puritan neighbors, these cases still resulted in tragedy – including the 1685 execution of Rebecca Fowler and the death of Moll Dyer, who froze to death after townspeople drove her from her home. Pugliese-Shaw discusses how Ma...
Jan 17, 2025•48 min•Ep. 123
Explore the fascinating evolution of the concept of the Devil in Western civilization with medieval devil lore expert Dr. Richard Raiswell from the University of Prince Edward Island. Dr. Raiswell reveals how our modern understanding of the devil emerged not only from biblical texts, but through centuries of popular belief and cultural transformation.Discover why the devil has endured, reflecting society's deepest fears across eras - from ancient monasticism to witch hunts, Cold War politics, an...
Jan 08, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 122
Join returning guest historian and researcher Dr. Debora Moretti for a fascinating journey through centuries of Italian folklore as she invites you to get to know La Befana, Italy's beloved Epiphany gift-giver. This beloved figure's dual nature - from benevolent grandmother to harbinger of fortune - has endured through generations of Italian tradition. Dr. Moretti weaves historical insights with personal memories of celebrating La Befana and cherishing this treasured tradition today, sharing sto...
Dec 31, 2024•55 min•Ep. 121
Explore the fascinating transformation of Christmas traditions in America, revealing how many of our cherished customs emerged more recently than we might imagine. Examine Christmas celebrations in colonial America, where the holiday bore little resemblance to today's family-centered observance. Through court records and historical accounts, we learn how the Puritans banned Christmas in Massachusetts from 1659 to 1681, troubled by its connections to pre-Christian festivals and its often rowdy, c...
Dec 24, 2024•31 min•Ep. 120
Historian Louis Pulford reveals how a 13th-century religious persecution became the blueprint for centuries of persecution. The Albigensian Crusade (1209-1229) marked the first time the Catholic Church turned its crusading armies inward, targeting the Cathar religious minority in southern France. Pulford, who recently completed his PhD research on firsthand accounts of the crusade, traces how tactics developed during this campaign - from systematic interrogations to public marking of the accused...
Dec 18, 2024•54 min•Ep. 119
On Human Rights Day, December 10th, marking 76 years since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we explore one of humanity's ongoing challenges: how differences continue to be met with fear, persecution, and violence. We welcome special guest Muluka-Anne Miti-Drummond, United Nations Independent Expert on the Enjoyment of Human Rights by Persons with Albinism, for a critical discussion that epitomizes Human Rights Day 2024. Her vital work documents how harmful practices and ritual attacks ...
Dec 10, 2024•44 min•Ep. 118
Join us for an exciting collaboration as Witch Hunt meets Witches of Scotland in this special crossover episode. Hosts Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack sit down with Zoe Venditozzi and Claire Mitchell to explore the parallel paths of witch trial justice advocacy across the Atlantic. From Connecticut to Scotland, discover how these podcasters are working to right historical wrongs while preventing modern-day witch hunts. Key topics include contrasts between American and Scottish witch trial histori...
Dec 08, 2024•37 min•Ep. 117
Explore the pressing global challenge of modern witch hunts with Kirsty Brimelow KC, one of Britain's leading human rights barristers and incoming vice chair of the Bar Council. Drawing parallels between harmful traditional practices worldwide, Brimelow shares insights from her groundbreaking work developing protection orders and contributing to the 2021 United Nations resolution on witch hunting and ritual attacks. Content Warning: This episode discusses sensitive topics including Female Genita...
Dec 04, 2024•48 min•Ep. 116
In February 1933, while the world was entering the age of radio and automobiles, individuals from the town of Soalhaes, Portugal burned a woman accused of witchcraft. The victim was Arminda de Jesus, a 32-year-old mother of two children, known locally for her kindness and for helping her troubled neighbor. That same neighbor would accuse her of witchcraft, leading to an exorcism ritual that spiraled tragically out of control and ended in Arminda's death. Through meticulous research in Portuguese...
Nov 27, 2024•52 min•Ep. 115
We step behind Broadway's emerald curtain to explore Wicked with two leading scholars. The University of Kansas' Paul Laird, professor emeritus of musicology, received unprecedented access as Stephen Schwartz composed his blockbuster musical and wrote the definitive book on its making, Wicked: a Musical Biography . His colleague Jane Barnette is a professor of theater & dance and the author of Witch Fulfillment: Adaptation Dramaturgy and Casting the Witch for Stage and Screen. She reveals ho...
Nov 25, 2024•50 min
Wicked Movie: The Making of a Witch explores the nuanced and powerful portrayal of witches in the highly anticipated Wicked movie. Witch Hunt podcast hosts Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack delve into their immediate reactions and the deeper social themes conveyed through the film. From the breath-catching spectacle of Galinda's grand entrance to the heartbreaking social justice undertones surrounding Elphaba's journey, this podcast dissects the movie’s profound commentary on othering, power dynami...
Nov 23, 2024•1 hr 2 min
We explore the urgent human rights crisis affecting people with albinism in Africa. Expert guest Jay Mohammed Osman Kamara, Executive Director of the Sierra Leone Association of Persons with Albinism (SLAPWA), discusses protecting persons with albinism and the critical significance of UN Resolution 47/8 on eliminating harmful practices related to witchcraft accusations and ritual attacks. Drawing from his experiences and presentation at the Witchcraft and Human Rights Conference, Kamara reveals ...
Nov 20, 2024•50 min•Ep. 114
Discover the heartbreaking true story of Goody Glover, an Irish Catholic immigrant who became the last person executed for witchcraft in Boston in 1688. Occurring four years before the infamous Salem Witch Trials began, Glover's case clearly illustrates the injustice of colonial New England's witch hunting history. Standing alone between the 1656 execution of Ann Hibbins and the Salem Witch Trials of 1692-93, Goody Glover's case provides crucial insights into colonial Boston's religious tensions...
Nov 13, 2024•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 113
Welcome to Witch Hunt, the investigative podcast exploring modern-day witch hunting in India. In this eye-opening episode, we investigate a critical human rights crisis: the systematic persecution of women through witchcraft accusations. The statistics are haunting: over 2,000 documented witch-hunting murders between 2000-2012—with countless more cases hidden in rural communities. To analyze this intersection of women's rights, criminal justice, and cultural practices, we're joined by leading ex...
Nov 06, 2024•53 min•Ep. 112
Modern Halloween emerges from diverse cultural and religious traditions, each contributing distinct elements to today's celebrations. From the Celtic festival of Samhain to the Roman Catholic Hallowtide, this episode uncovers the historical threads that connect ancient celebrations to contemporary practices. We examine the influences of Roman festivals like Pomonalia and Lemuria, investigate the connections to England's Guy Fawkes Night, and explore parallels with Mexico's Día de los Muertos. Ou...
Oct 30, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 111
Returning guest Dr. Scott Culpepper, professor at Dordt University, joins us to examine the social phenomenon known as the Satanic Panic of the 1980s and early 1990s. Drawing from his extensive research for his forthcoming scholarly book and his novel, "The Demonologists' Daughters," Dr. Culpepper analyzes how this period of heightened social anxiety developed and influenced American society. We explore the cultural context of this moral panic, examining its effects on institutions from childcar...
Oct 23, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 110
In this episode of "Witch Hunt," guest host Antonio Stuckey explores the life and tragic fate of Alice Parker, a victim of the 1692 Salem witch trials. The podcast delves into Parker's background as a resident of Salem Town and her marriage to a local fisherman. Stuckey discusses the accusations against Parker, her arrest, and the subsequent legal proceedings that led to her conviction. The episode provides insight into the nature of the evidence presented against her and the wider context of su...
Oct 21, 2024•3 min
Explore one of Europe's most notorious witch hunts - the Basque Witch Trials in France and Spain - with historian Jan Machielsen, author of the new release "The Basque Witch Hunt: A Secret History." We uncover the complex factors behind the trials, including the role of sex-obsessed judge Pierre de Lancre. Machielsen shares the unique Basque Sabbath descriptions and the controversial use of child witnesses, revealing how approximately 100 victims fell prey to these trials. Learn how witch hunt f...
Oct 16, 2024•46 min•Ep. 109
In this episode, we explore the life and tragic fate of Martha Cory, one of the victims of the 1692 Salem Witch Trials. Learn about: - Martha's background and the mysteries surrounding her early life - The events that led to her accusation of witchcraft - Her experiences during the trials - The surprising role her husband played in her story - Martha's ultimate fate and legacy Join us as we uncover the story of this "gospel woman" caught in the hysteria of one of America's most infamous historic...
Oct 14, 2024•5 min
Join Sarah and Josh as they talk about their recent experiences at two dynamic UK conferences focused on witchcraft and human rights. In this fun and reflective episode, our hosts share the insights gained from the York CREMS Magic and Witchcraft Conference 2024 and the Lancaster "Witchcraft and Human Rights: Past, Present, Future" conference, which centered on the implementation of United Nations Resolution 47/8. Learn about the presentations Sarah and Josh delivered for their nonprofit, End Wi...
Oct 09, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 108
Fresh from the release of his book The Witch of Pungo: Grace Sherwood in Virginia , historian Scott O. Moore joins us to uncover the true story behind colonial Virginia's only witch trial. In 1706, Grace Sherwood faced an unusual trial by water—but what really happened, and why does it still captivate us today? Moore examines both the legend and reality of Grace Sherwood, showing how local tensions transformed neighborhood conflict into a witch trial. Learn how this singular case differed from t...
Oct 02, 2024•58 min•Ep. 107
In this gripping episode of Salem Witch Hunt 101, we delve into the pivotal period of March 8-24, 1692, when the Salem witch trials reached a fever pitch. We explore the dramatic escalation of accusations and arrests that rocked Salem Village, including the unexpected cases of respected community members Martha Cory and Rebecca Nurse, as well as the shocking arrest of 4-year-old Dorothy Good. The episode begins with the election of new selectmen and constables in Salem, setting the stage for the...
Sep 25, 2024•43 min•Ep. 106
