The Thing About Witch Hunts

Episode Overview Clinical health psychologist Peter Mintir Amadu explains the hidden mental health emergency affecting nearly 500 women accused of witchcraft in Northern Ghana and the innovative model transforming their lives. Women accused of witchcraft face a devastating reality: up to 90% suffer from severe depression, PTSD rates exceed 80%, and many live in camps for over 20 years. They've...

What is folklore and how does it connect to witch hunts? Join us for an author talk with Professor Owen Davies and Dr. Ceri Houlbrook from the University of Hertfordshire, discussing their new book Folklore: A Journey Through the Past and Present. Discover how folklore shapes our daily lives, from cheese rolling traditions to social media rumors. Episode Highlights: • Folklore definition and what...

Enjoy this  in-depth author interview with New York Times bestselling author Kathleen Kent. Kathleen opens up about her writing process, her journey from aspiring writer to published novelist, and the craft behind transforming family history into compelling historical fiction. Kathleen's debut novel, The Heretic's Daughter , tells the story of her ancestor Martha Carrier, who was executed...

Is The Witch of Blackbird Pond historical fact or beloved fiction? Museum educators Martha Smart and Gillie Johnson from the Wethersfield Historical Society pull back the curtain on Elizabeth George Speare's classic novel by revealing what she got right and what she invented. This episode demonstrates why Connecticut's real witch trials deserve more attention than they've gotten. Disco...

In this episode, Josh and Sarah speak with the creative team behind "The Witch of Woodbury," a theatrical production at Connecticut's Glebe House Museum that brings 17th-century witch trial victims to life through performance. Featured Guests: Linda Barr-Gale - Actress portraying Moll Cramer for 13 years and production writer Loriann Witte - Director of Glebe House Museum, portraying...

Episode Description: Just saw Wicked: For Good (Wicked Part 2) and wondering what it all means? The sequel to 2024's blockbuster Wicked movie starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande delivers the pure magic and joy of Wicked's fairytale storytelling while also serving as a mirror reflecting our world's darkest patterns of persecution. Join hosts Sarah Jack and Josh Hutchinson for a spo...

In May 1692, one of Boston's most respected citizens walked into a Salem courtroom—and the accusers couldn't even identify him. Captain John Alden Jr., son of Mayflower passengers and decorated war hero, seemed an unlikely target for witchcraft accusations. But his connections to Native Americans and the French made him dangerous in the eyes of wartime Massachusetts. What happened when Sal...

Episode Description: Massachusetts has an opportunity to make history, and you can be a part of it. On November 25, 2025, Bill H.1927 goes before the Massachusetts Joint Committee on the Judiciary. This legislation will exonerate 8 individuals convicted of witchcraft in Boston and recognize everyone else who suffered accusations across Massachusetts. Between 1648 and 1693, more than 200 people wer...

Tune in for this informative virtual panel discussion bringing together three of the world's leading experts on witchcraft accusations and ritual violence. This free online event, co-hosted by End Witch Hunts and featuring speakers from INAWARA (International Network Against Witchcraft Accusations and Ritual Attacks), addresses one of the most pressing yet under-recognized human rights crises...

Why do witchcraft accusations persist in modern India, and how do gender and caste inequalities fuel this cycle of violence despite legal protections? Join Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack for a powerful conversation with  Bharvi Shahi, currently pursuing her LL.M. at Christ University, Bengaluru, and Razina Ahmed, Assistant Professor of Law at the School of Law, Presidency University, Bengaluru abo...

Playwright Laurie Flanigan-Hegge, two directors, and a puppet artist discuss staging "Prick," a play about Scottish witch trials, now opening in Chicago November 6-16. In August 2023, we spoke with playwright Laurie Flanigan-Hegge about Prick , her play about the Scottish witch trials. It had just premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Two years later, the play has traveled to New O...

Episode Description What do vampires, werewolves, and dragons tell us about ourselves? In this fascinating exploration of monsters in culture and society, we dive deep into why humanity has always been obsessed with creatures that go bump in the night. From the etymology of "monster" (Latin "monstrum" - to warn or demonstrate) to modern cryptids and creepypastas, discover how t...

What makes a monster? In this spine-tingling episode, Josh and Sarah welcome back fellow podcasters Sean and Carrie from the hit show Ain't it Scary with Sean and Carrie to explore one of the internet's most notorious creations: Slender Man . From creepypasta legend to real-world tragedy, discover how this faceless, tentacled entity became modern folklore and what it reveals about our rela...

Dr. Richard Raiswell, Dr. David Winter, and Dr. Mikki Brock—co-editors of The Routledge History of the Devil in the Western Tradition explore the devil's complex history, from his biblical origins to his evolution through Western culture. Discover how the devil has been weaponized to demonize marginalized groups throughout history and examine his surprising presence in contemporary society. Th...

This October, we're diving into the fascinating story of Margaret Jones—the first woman tried for witchcraft in Massachusetts—through Andrea Catalano's debut novel The First Witch of Boston . Josh and Sarah explore this gripping historical fiction that sheds light on a witch trial that happened decades before Salem, in 1648. Discover why this lesser-known story deserves your attention and...

Why This Crossover? Hosts Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack are featuring The Thing About Salem podcast on The Thing About Witch Hunts podcast to introduce our listeners to our companion 15 minute sized episode podcast! Both shows are produced by the End Witch Hunts nonprofit, and we want to make sure you don't miss out on the incredible stories we're telling about Salem's witch trials. T...

With his highly anticipated debut graphic novel "More Weight: A Salem Story" releasing, Massachusetts-born author Ben Wickey joins us for an exclusive pre-launch interview about this Alan Moore-praised "appalling masterpiece." The Edward Gorey Award-winning artist's first solo work tells the harrowing tale of Giles Corey, the only person pressed to death under stones during...

Nearly 100 years after Salem, a German immigrant widow in Vermont faced trial by water ordeal for witchcraft. In 1785, Margaret Krieger was dropped through ice into the freezing Hoosick River—and survived. Guests: Joyce Held, Pownal Vermont Historical Society - researcher who uncovered Margaret's full story Jamie Franklin, Bennington Museum Curator - connected the trial to post-Revolutionary W...

Episode Summary: Jennifer Tozer, librarian at Pueblo Community College in Colorado, shares how she created "Witch Trials: Accusation to Exoneration" - a comprehensive month-long educational program running throughout October. When traditional museum exhibits weren't available, Jennifer built her own visual displays from scratch, featuring poster exhibits, author presentations, virtua...

On September 8 and 22, we are joining Dr. Emerson Baker for exciting virtual events hosted by Partnership of Historic Bostons. Visit Eventbrite to register for FREE:https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-other-understanding-witch-hunts-part-i-tickets-1492284887269?aff=oddtdtcreatorOr visit the Partnership of Historic Bostons website for more information: https://historicbostons.org/upcomingeventsThe Oth...

Guest: Dr. Martin Austin Nesvig Book: The Women Who Threw Corn: Witchcraft and Inquisition in 16th Century Mexico Dr. Martin Austin Nesvig takes us into colonial Mexico's magical underground, where cultural exchange happened in kitchens between women of different backgrounds. This isn't your typical witch hunt story—Mexico never had mass executions or crazes. The Spanish Inquisition there...

What if history's most infamous witch hunt could have been stopped with just a few different decisions? We're examining the pivotal moments between January 1692 and May 1693 when someone—anyone—could have pumped the brakes on Salem's runaway train of accusations. From the shocking arrest of four-year-old Dorothy Good to Martha Carrier's unfortunate promotion to "Queen of Hell," we'll explore how e...

Join hosts Sarah Jack and Josh Hutchinson for this special episode recorded live on August 10th for World Day Against Witch Hunts 2025. This expert panel discussion explores the ongoing crisis of witchcraft accusations in Ghana, where men, women and children are violently expelled from their communities and forced to live in outcast camps. Featured experts include a representative from Amnesty Int...

Join hosts Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack as they sit down with fellow End Witch Hunts nonprofit board member Mary Bingham for a powerful discussion about modern-day witch hunts and spiritual ritual abuse in the United States. In this special episode commemorating World Day Against Witch Hunts (August 10th), we explore the devastating reality of supernatural fears that continue to harm vulnerable...

In this gripping episode, we sit down with Dr. Keith Silika, a Zimbabwean-born criminal investigator whose extraordinary journey has positioned him at the crossroads of two worlds most of us never see intersect. Raised between his father's traditional healing practice and devout Catholic faith, Dr. Silika brings an unprecedented perspective to one of today's most misunderstood and dangerou...