Midwifery, Witchcraft, And Forensic Blindness: A Gendered Bioanalytical Inquiry Into Historical Practices

Title

Midwifery, Witchcraft, And Forensic Blindness: A Gendered Bioanalytical Inquiry Into Historical Practices

Creator

Ahmed, Razina; Sapna, S.

Description

In Europe, going on witch hunts was a prevalent activity between the fourteenth and seventeenth centuries. Tens of thousands of people were tortured, executed, and burned in Germany, Italy, and eventually expanded to France and England; women made up three-quarters of the victims. The discovery of "the persecution of midwives as witches," which expanded throughout the Middle Ages and has drawn harsh criticism from historians of the 20th century, is one of the most startling disclosures. This paper examines the intersection between midwifery and witchcraft in Early Modern times, focusing on the risks that female midwives had to deal with in the field of work. Women who practiced the crucial profession of midwifery had their experiences impacted by the historical backdrop of extensive witch hunts and prosecutions. The paper seeks to offer a thorough understanding of the difficulties faced by midwives in balancing their vital role in birthing with the widespread suspicions of witchcraft by looking at the socioeconomic, cultural, and legal aspects. The paper also relies on the recent published work of Dr. Philippa Carter (2023). 2025, Green Publication. All rights reserved.

Source

Journal of Applied Bioanalysis;Volume;11;Issue;4;pp.327-337

Date

01-01-2025

Publisher

Green Publication

Subject

healers; midwife; witchcraft; work

Coverage

Ahmed R., School of Law, Christ (Deemed to be University), Bangalore, India; Sapna S., School of Law, Christ (Deemed to be University), Bangalore, India

Rights

All Open Access; Gold Open Access

Relation

ISSN: 2405710X;

Format

online

Language

English

Type

Article

Identifier

https://doi.org/10.53555/jab.v11i4.368

https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105014977421?origin=resultslist