The Satanism Scare

ISBN-13: 9780202303796 / Angielski / Miękka / 1991 / 326 str.

Professor James T. Richardson; David G. Bromley; Joel Best

Opis

Although there is growing concern over Satanism as a threat to American life, the topic has received surprisingly little serious attention. Recognizing this, the editors of this volume have selected papers from a wide variety of disciplines, broadly covering contemporary aspects of Satanism from the vantage points of studies in folklore, cults, religion, deviance, rock music, rumor, and the mass media. All contributors are skeptical of claims that a large, powerful satanic conspiracy can be substantiated. Their research focuses instead on claims about Satanism and on the question of whose interests are served by such claims. Several papers consider the impact of anti-Satanism campaigns on public opinion, law enforcement and civil litigation, child protection services, and other sectors of American society. The constructionist perspective adopted by the editors does not deny the existence of some activities by "real" Satanists, and two papers describe the workins of satanic groups. Whatever the basis of the claims examined and analyzed, there is growing evidence that belief in the satanic menace will have real social consequences in the years ahead.

Spis treści

I: Introdution; 1: Satanism as a Social Problem; II: Anthropological and Historical Perspectives on Satanism; 2: The Demonology of Satanism: An Anthropological View; 3: The Historical Satan; 4: Satanism: The New Cult Scare; III: The Satanic Threat to Children; 5: Satanism and Child Molestation: Constructing the Ritual Abuse Scare; 6: Endangered Children in Antisatanist Rhetoric; 7: Satanic Cults, Satanic Play: Is “Dungeons & Dragons” a Breeding Ground for the Devil?; IV: Psychiatry and Occult Survivors; 8: Occult Survivors: The Making of a Myth; 9: Satanism and Psychotherapy: A Rumor in Search of an Inquisition; V: Satanism and The Law; 10: The Police Model of Satanic Crime; 11: Law Enforcement and the Satanism-Crime Connection: A Survey of “Cult Cops”; 12: Satanism in the Courts: From Murder to Heavy Metal; VI: Rumor and News About Satanism; 13: The Dynamics of Rumor-Panics about Satanic Cults; 14: Accusations of Satanism and Racial Tensions in the Matamoros Cult Murders; 15: Devil Worship in Western Montana: A Case Study in Rumor Construction; 16: Caldrons Bubble, Satan's Trouble, but Witches Are Okay: Media Constructions of Satanism and Witchcraft; VII: The Satanists; 17: Legend-Trips and Satanism: Adolescents’ Ostensive Traditions as “Cult” Activity; 18: Social Construction from Within: Satan's Process

O autorze

Joel Best