Okay, so I’ve been diving deep into this whole “witchcraft historiography” thing, and let me tell you, it’s been a wild ride. I figured I’d share my process, ’cause honestly, it’s been all over the place, and maybe someone out there can relate or learn from my mess.
The Starting Point (aka Total Confusion)
First, I just Googled “witchcraft historiography.” Seriously, that was it. I had this vague idea that it was about, like, the history of how people have written about witchcraft, but I was mostly just staring at a wall of academic-sounding titles.
Getting My Bearings (aka Wikipedia to the Rescue!)
After the initial panic, I did what any sensible person would do: I hit up Wikipedia. It wasn’t perfect, but it gave me some basic names and concepts to work with. I started to see some recurring themes, like the shift from seeing witchcraft as purely “real” to seeing it as a social construct, that kind of thing.
Diving into Sources (aka Drowning in Books)
Next, I started trying to track down actual books and articles. This is where things got messy. I used my local library’s online catalog and also started poking around on Google Scholar. I felt like I was just grabbing anything that seemed remotely relevant, and my “to-read” pile grew exponentially.
- Pro Tip (that I learned the hard way): Start with broader, more general overviews before diving into super-specific stuff. I wasted a lot of time trying to understand detailed analyses of, like, 17th-century pamphlets before I had a solid grasp of the big picture.
Trying to Organize My Thoughts (aka Making a Giant Mess)
Okay, so I had all these sources. Now what? I started trying to take notes, but it was chaos. I had notes on my computer, notes in a notebook, notes on random scraps of paper. I tried using different colored pens, highlighters… it was a disaster.
Finally I decided, I need a way to see the connection, so I opened the note software and used the mind mapping, that really helped me a lot!
The “Aha!” Moment (aka Finally Seeing Patterns)
Slowly, very slowly, I started to see some connections. I realized that different historians had really different approaches to the topic. Some were focused on the religious aspects, others on the social and economic factors, and still others on the gender dynamics at play.
Putting it all Together (aka Still a Work in Progress)
I’m definitely not done with this project. It’s huge! But I’m starting to feel like I have a handle on it. I’m trying to write a paper that outlines the major shifts in how witchcraft has been studied over time, and it’s actually starting to take shape. I’m focusing on how ideas about witchcraft have changed, and how those changes reflect bigger shifts in how we understand history and society.
So, yeah, that’s my journey so far. It’s been messy, confusing, and sometimes frustrating, but also really, really interesting. If anyone else is tackling a similar project, my advice is: be patient, embrace the chaos, and don’t be afraid to start with the basics. And definitely use a mind map! It might just save your sanity.
