How Does Detailed Knowledge Of Local Context Help The Historian Understand Early Modern Cases Of Witchcraft?
In what ways and to what extent does detailed knowledge of local context help the historian understand early modern cases of witchcraft? Witchcraft is an early modern phenomenon, one entirely imagined, but one that has and will continue to be subject of immense debate. One debate or visible difference when looking into the historiography of witchcraft is that there has been a huge shift from looking at it from a macro level to the micro (local) level-from which the subject is rhapsodised about today. Perhaps as Robin Briggs has stated “It is a familiar paradox to claim that the more we know about any subject, the harder it becomes to generalise about it”. However this essay will look at the local context of witchcraft and examine the different ways in which detailed knowledge of this area can help the historian understand the subject area in further detail. Then it will be possible to come to a conclusion over the extent to which such knowledge is beneficial. To be able to reach such a
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