The Role of Religious Strife in the Witch Hunts in Switzerland - Book Report/Review Example

sted in this time frame of history, are several different scholarly investigations that have noted different levels of legitimacy toward the understanding of this time frame. Evaluating the legitimacy of these specific points in time creates a deeper meaning and holistic viewpoint of what occurred because of the witch hunts. The earlier concepts of witch hunts of early modern Europe were based around the viewpoint of historians, specifically from a religious point of view. For instance, according to Demos (1972), there were sets of witchcraft that were based on Satanic rituals and ideologies.

When examining this perspective of witch craft, it could be seen that the witch culture was one in which many decided to destroy, specifically because of the rituals that broke different laws and went against both church and state in ways that they functioned. The methodology which was used in this particular study was to examine the rituals of witches and to look at case studies which were developed because of the actions of witches. More importantly, the case studies are analyzed from the viewpoint of the author and are looked into specifically through the results in the community.

The perspective that is developed creates a social and scientific option, which shows how witches were approaching the community, as well as what the society believed in return because of events that were occurring (Demos, 1972). When moving into the 1980s, different aspects of the witch hunts and crazes can be seen. According to Ben – Yehuda, (1980), most historians were interested into the social and historical aspects of early, modern Europe and how this affected those that were a part of the witch hunts.

The methodologies and analysis of the social aspects were developed through a questioning of whether this perspective was the only one that was correct. More importantly, there were different socio – historical approaches that were questioned as a result of studies with the