Historian Mary W. Craig returns to discuss her new book, *A History of Scottish Witches: The Devil’s Handmaidens, which traces the arc from the 1563 Witchcraft Act through its abolition in 1736.

Craig explores how beliefs that had existed for generations became capital crimes, examining the theological frameworks, political upheavals, and social structures that shaped prosecutions. The conversation moves from John Knox’s influence on Scottish law to the chaos of 1661-62, when local courts abandoned proper procedures.

Drawing on trial records and historical documents, Craig discusses who was accused, how interrogations were conducted, and why the trauma made Scottish descendants harder to trace than their New England counterparts. She also reflects on what medieval Scottish communities believed before the Reformation and how those beliefs were reinterpreted.

*A History of Scottish Witches* will be available February 2025 from Pen and Sword Books and is now available for pre-order.

**Keywords:** Scottish witch trials, Mary W. Craig, Scottish history, 1563 Witchcraft Act, Reformation Scotland, historical research, witch trial records, social history, legal history Scotland​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Links

Buy the Book: A History of Scottish Witches: The Devil's Handmaidens

Buy the Book: A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking

Buy the Book: The Hammer of Witches

Mary W. Craig cohosts the podcast "Borders Bletherings"

MaryW.Craig.com

End Witch Hunts Nonprofit

Salem Witch Trials Daily Program

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 lost everything: family, livelihood, dignity, and hope.

But mental health support alone isn't enough. As one survivor told Amadu: "I can sleep now, but when I wake up, I'm hungry. What happens to me?"

Initiatives that combine mental health intervention with economic empowerment, creating sustainable change through advocacy, rehabilitation, therapy, livelihood training, and community engagement is being explored. This locally-developed model addresses both psychological trauma and practical survival needs.

Ghana faces a 98% mental health treatment gap with fewer than 200 psychologists for 30+ million people. Yet TOLEC is proving that culturally-grounded, resource-conscious solutions can work, from teletherapy programs to training religious leaders as mental health advocates.

TOLEC's work extends to prison mental health, maternal psychological care, youth substance abuse prevention, and school-based interventions, all driven by data and local innovation.

International collaboration opportunities exist in capacity building, research partnerships, digital health technology, and advocacy. The model is ready to scale. What's needed is global support for local expertise.

For organizations seeking meaningful partnerships in African mental health innovation, culturally-responsive trauma care, or women's empowerment initiatives.

Keywords: mental health innovation Africa, witchcraft accusations Ghana, trauma-informed development, sustainable mental health programs, international mental health partnerships, women's rights Ghana, community psychology, teletherapy developing countries

#MentalHealthInnovation #GlobalMentalHealth #WomensEmpowerment #AfricanSolutions #EndWitchcraftAccusations #TraumaCare

Links

Total Life Enhancement Center, Ghana

Amnesty International, Ghana

End Witch Hunts

Why Witch Hunts are not just a Dark Chapter from the Past

INAWARA

International Alliance to End Witch Hunts

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 folklore actually means today

• British folklore traditions and American folklore customs explored

• How folklore practices became legal evidence in Salem witch trials

• The three types of British witches: conflict witches, accidental witches, and outcast witches

• Folk devils versus theological devils in witch hunt history

• Spectral evidence, pricking tests, touch tests, and folk magic in historical witch accusations

• Why debunked theories like the ergot explanation persist in popular culture

• How contemporary folklore evolves through podcasts and social media

• The ritual year framework and material culture in folklore studies

• Magical thinking and supernatural beliefs across cultures

• How folklore cycles between revival and decline

Whether you’re studying folklore definition, researching folklore examples, or interested in folklore and popular culture, this author talk explores how folklore studies reveals patterns in human behavior across time.

Pick up Folklore: A Journey Through the Past and Present at https://bookshop.org/shop/endwitchhunts to support our work and explore opportunities to study folklore at the University of Hertfordshire’s MA folklore program.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Links

Buy Book: Folklore: A Journey Through the Past and Present

⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts YouTube⁠

⁠The Thing About Witch Hunts

The Thing About Salem website