Earlier historians viewed witchcraft trials as a product of "religious fanaticism," while later 20th-century historians (like Keith Thomas and Alan Macfarlane ) began adopting anthropological tools to show that trials were actually driven by "bottom-up" interpersonal tensions in local villages.
Witchcraft is a social mechanism used to explain "unfortunate events" (like a house collapsing or a crop failing) that lack an obvious cause. Two styles in the study of witchcraft - School ...
It serves as a tool for conflict resolution and social control. Accusations often pinpoint existing social tensions or "veiled critiques" of modern life within a community. Earlier historians viewed witchcraft trials as a product