Becoming a witch. Women and magic in Europe during the Middle Ages and beyond

This book is not about witches. First of all, because it focuses on the Middle Ages. And, despite common misconceptions among the general public, the figure of the witch as a woman who seals a pact with the Devil is not a “medieval” invention. Becoming a Witch explores the feminization of what civil and religious authorities defined as “magic” in medieval times. It looks into the complex connections between women, the natural, the supernatural, and the tragedy of existence. The chapters in this book span from the far north of Europe to the Mediterranean area, and investigate topics such as divination, erotic “magic”, flying and dancing bodies, cannibalism, milk-stealing witchcraft, the circulation of “superstitious” knowledge among women, Otherness, agency, and, last but not least, contemporary representations of the witch in books, TV series, and cinema productions. From whom did women learn their beliefs and remedies? Were they really in contact with demons? Were they a social threat? And, most importantly, should men fear and stop them?