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The Thing About Witch Hunts

Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack
Salem Witch Trials
Witchcraft
Witch Hunts
Witchcraft Accusations
Human Rights
Witch Trials
Rebecca Nurse
Albinism
Connecticut Witch Trials
Gender-Based Violence
Malleus Maleficarum
Social Justice
Gender Inequality
Dementia
Martha Cory
Dorothy Good
Sarah Good
Puritanism
Tituba
Ritual Attacks

Witch trials have shaped communities, claimed lives, and defined entire eras of history. The Thing About Witch Hunts investigates the real history behind witch hunts and modern witchcraft persecution worldwide, from the Salem witch trials of 1692 to the deadly witchcraft accusations devastating communities today. Hosted by Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack, each episode delivers essential context for... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes271Founded4 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
History

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Artwork for The Thing About Witch Hunts

Latest Episodes

World Day Against Witch Hunts: Sister Lorena Jenal and Jörg Nowak on Rescuing Survivors in Papua New Guinea

Hosts Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack mark August 10, World Day Against Witch Hunts, with its creators, Sister Lorena Jenal and journalist Jör... more

YouTube

Reclamation: Restorative Justice and a Church Returned for Scotland’s Accused WitchesWe follow the question history books can’t answer: once the harm of witch hunting is acknowledged, what does repair look like? Trauma resolution practitioner Claire ... more

YouTube

Witchland with Professor Marion Gibson: The Witchfinder General, Civil War Chaos, and Recovering the AccusedWe sit down with Professor Marion Gibson (emeritus, Exeter University) to explore her new book, “Witchland: A Tale of Witch Hunting and War in... more

YouTube

We head inside Roman-walled Exeter, Devon, with University of Southampton historian Mark Stoyle, author of Witchcraft in Exeter, to trace a century of quarter sessions and church-court records showing a steady trickle of cases rather than explosive m... more

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Recent Guests

Sister Lorena Jenal
Swiss Franciscan sister of Divine Providence, long-time advocate in Papua New Guinea
Missio (Catholic aid organization)
Episode: World Day Against Witch Hunts: Missio in Papua New Guinea with Sister Lorena Jenal and Jörg Nowak
Jörg Nowak
Journalist with Missio, in Germany
Missio
Episode: World Day Against Witch Hunts: Missio in Papua New Guinea with Sister Lorena Jenal and Jörg Nowak
Claire Standen
Trauma resolution practitioner and founder of Reclamation
Reclamation (Scottish community interest organization)
Episode: Healing the Past: The Reclamation Project with Claire Standen
Marion Gibson
Emeritus Professor at Exeter University, historian of witch trials
University of Exeter
Episode: Witchland: Inside the Book with Professor Marion Gibson
Mark Stoyle
Professor of Early Modern History, University of Southampton
University of Southampton
Episode: The Witch Trial History of Exeter, England with Professor Mark Stoyle
Marilynne Roach
Historian with the Historical Society of Watertown
Historical Society of Watertown
Episode: American Revolution: The Treaty of Watertown, 1776 with Marilynne K. Roach
Dr. Holly Bamford
Witchcraft researcher who defended a doctoral thesis on English witchcraft
Independent scholar / Witchcraft Researcher
Episode: Witches and Familiars with Dr. Holly Bamford
Sarah Stewart
President of Partnership of Historic Bostons
Partnership of Historic Bostons
Episode: Metacom's Resistance: Perspectives on King Philip's War with Sarah Stewart
Icy Sedgwick
Author, folklorist, diviner, and host of Fabulous Folklore Podcast
Fabulous Folklore Podcast
Episode: The Art and Folklore of Divination with Icy Sedgwick, author of Fate or Fortune

Hosts

Sarah Jack
Co-host of The Thing About Witch Hunts and related work with End Witch Hunts; focuses on memory, advocacy, and historical storytelling.
Josh Hutchinson
Host of The Thing About Witch Hunts; leads interviews and episode introductions with a focus on historical context and engagement.

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 35 ratings
  • Excellent Research

    Love this witchy pod and so will you. That is if you have an interest in the history of witchcraft executions then and now. Good job!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Kimmy B 13
    United Statesa year ago
  • Needs polishing

    Great content, speech sounds halting, scripted, using some incorrect grammar and language which is confusing, I’m not sure if you need to do some more practicing speaking or if this is nervousness but the content and research is actually excellent.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    pumpkin243
    United States2 years ago
  • Long neglected history

    Very good history lessons, I’ve learned many new things. Lest we forget, lest we repeat.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Tequila Priestess
    United States3 years ago
  • Thoughtful and dedicated to raising awareness about witch hunts, from both the past and present. A truth wealth of great information!

    Podchaser
    5
    gregory.houle
    3 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Some listeners feel a more polished speaking cadence would help, but content quality is strong.
Listeners praise the depth of historical research and thoughtful interviews.
Episodes frequently prompt action, donations, and volunteerism for advocacy projects.

Top History Podcasts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Witches and Familiars with Dr. Holly Bamford
Q: Dr. Bamford, in the material that you sent to us, you talked also about a man named John Palmer, and he had a curious familiar I want to talk about because this one took a humanoid shape and was a woman called Jezebel. What makes her different, of course, from the animal familiars, and what was his relationship with her?
Palmer's Jezebel shaped familiar shows that familiars could be humanoid and function to threaten conjugal relationships, underscoring how the familiar embodies broader adult relationships and social anxieties about marriage and reproduction; this case also illustrates how male witches could enact a more intimate, yet troubling, bond with their familiar, challenging gendered stereotypes.
The Art and Folklore of Divination with Icy Sedgwick, author of Fate or Fortune
Q: Tell us about your work and expertise.
Icy discusses her background as a writer and researcher focused on folklore, with a specialism in divination, and explains how divination intersects with everyday life, history, and culture.
Devil, Witchcraft and English Demonology with Prof. Darren Oldridge
Q: What were the main demonologies needed to understand the learned conception of the devil in early modern England?
Key figures included William Perkins, who emphasized the demonic pact, and Joseph Glanville, who shifted focus toward proving the existence of spirits; these rival traditions shaped how demonology framed witchcraft prosecution up to and after the 1660s.
Devil, Witchcraft and English Demonology with Prof. Darren Oldridge
Q: Not witches first, but the devil first. How did educated English Protestants conceptualize witchcraft in relation to the devil?
Educated English Protestants tended to frame witchcraft as temptations or contracts with the devil, sometimes viewing the pact as the essential mechanism by which witchcraft operated, while ordinary folk worried more about tangible harms and natural explanations.
Fairy History, Folklore, and Belief with Dr. Francis Young
Q: Can you touch a little bit on how we have fairies in fairy tales, fairy in this folk belief, and then fairies in literature?
There are three main channels: through folklore as eyewitness memory of encounters, through fairy tales that were never meant to be literally true, and through literature where fairies are reimagined for drama and narrative. Over time, stage and literary depictions contributed the most recognizable features, like wings, wand-wielding figures, and female-dominated fairy image, which later influenced popular culture.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Thing About Witch Hunts

What is The Thing About Witch Hunts about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A historically focused podcast that uncovers the realities of witch hunts and modern witchcraft persecution around the world. Episodes blend rigorous research with accessible storytelling, featuring historians, authors, playwrights, and advocates who explore the social, political, and cultural forces behind persecutions, the legacy for descendants, and ongoing advocacy work. The show stands out for pairing scholarly context with contemporary relevance—from court records and archival materials to discussions of representation, memory, and legal reforms—often foregrounding survivor perspectives and activist efforts to end witch hunts. This makes it a strong fit for history buffs, human rights advocates, educators, and audiences drawn to docum... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The Thing About Witch Hunts?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Thing About Witch Hunts:

1. The Thing About the Salem Witch Trials
2. After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal
3. Hidden Brain
4. Not Just the Tudors
5. The Moth

How many episodes of The Thing About Witch Hunts are there?

The Thing About Witch Hunts launched 4 years ago and published 271 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The Thing About Witch Hunts?

Recent guests on The Thing About Witch Hunts include:

1. Sister Lorena Jenal
2. Jörg Nowak
3. Claire Standen
4. Marion Gibson
5. Mark Stoyle
6. Marilynne Roach
7. Dr. Holly Bamford
8. Sarah Stewart

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