Teenage Witches: Magical Youth and the Search for the Self - Softcover

Berger, Helen; Ezzy, Douglas

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0813540216 ISBN 13: 9780813540214

Publisher: Rutgers University Press, 2007

Synopsis

A popular new image of Witches has arisen in recent years, due largely to movies like The Craft, Practical Magic, and Simply Irresistible and television shows such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and Charmed. Here, young sexy Witches use magic and Witchcraft to gain control over their lives and fight evil. Then there is the depiction in the Harry Potter books: Witchcraft is a gift that unenlightened Muggles (everyday people) lack. In both types of portrayals, being a Witch is akin to being a superhero. At the other end of the spectrum, wary adults assume that Witches engage in evil practices that are misguided at best and dangerous at worst.

Yet, as Helen A. Berger and Douglas Ezzy show in this in-depth look into the lives of teenage Witches, the reality of their practices, beliefs, values, and motivations is very different from the sensational depictions we see in popular culture. Drawing on extensive research across three countries--the United States, England, and Australia--and interviews with young people from diverse backgrounds, what they find are highly spiritual and self-reflective young men and women attempting to make sense of a postmodern world via a religion that celebrates the earth and emphasizes self-development.

The authors trace the development of Neo-Paganism (an umbrella term used to distinguish earth-based religions from the pagan religions of ancient cultures) from its start in England during the 1940s, through its growing popularity in the decades that followed, up through its contemporary presence on the Internet. Though dispersed and disorganized, Neo-Pagan communities, virtual and real, are shown to be an important part of religious identity particularly for those seeking affirmation during the difficult years between childhood and adulthood.

About this title

About the Author:

Helen A. Berger is a professor of sociology at West Chester University in West Chester, Pennsylvania. Douglas Ezzy is a senior lecturer in sociology at the University of Tasmania in Australia.

Review:

This book makes an important contribution to our understanding of Witchcraft and its appeal among real-life young people on three continents. It's a fascinating story of young practitioners who find in alternative spiritual practices a way to affirm diversity and respect for all people. (Lynn Schofield Clark author of From Angels to Aliens: Teenagers, the Media, and the Supernatural)

This groundbreaking study, which looks at Australia, the UK, and the US, is thoughtful, engaged, and articulate...Interviewees speak candidly and insightfully about their experiences in a religion that continues to be misrepresented in mainstream culture. Recommended. 

This book is informative, engaging, and enchanting. The interweaving of the vignettes and quotes from the authors' interviews is masterful. (James R. Lewis author of Legitimating New Religions)

This is an engrossing book that tells us not only about teenage witches, but also about important trends in post-modern society, with a significant proportion of young Westerners adopting alternative worldviews and lifestyles. (Eileen Barker Professor Emeritus of Sociology, London School of Economics)

In this evocative and important study, Helen Berger and Douglas Ezzy challenge stereotypes and bring to life the worlds of meaning created by teen witches. By exploring the beliefs, rituals, media habits, family backgrounds and personal struggles of these teenagers, the authors make a convincing case for the ways in which self-transformation and religious identity go hand in hand. (Sarah M. Pike author of Earthly Bodies, Magical Selves: Contemporary Pagans and the Search for)

This book is thoroughly enjoyable to read, introducing the reader to a group of thoughtful, ethically concerned, and charming young people. (Brian J. Gibbons Magic, Ritual, and Witchcraft)

About this edition

• Publisher: Rutgers University Press
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 0813540216
• ISBN 13: 9780813540214
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 304