About the author
Isak Niehaus is a South African social anthropologist known for his ethnographic work on witchcraft, gender and political change in South Africa. He has held academic posts including at Brunel University London, following earlier work at the University of Pretoria, and has published extensively on witchcraft beliefs in the Bushbuckridge region of the South African Lowveld. His book "Witchcraft and a Life in the New South Africa" reconstructs the biography of an ordinary South African, Jimmy Mohale, tracing his life from a rural apartheid-era childhood through university study and work as a teacher during the anti-apartheid struggle, up to his death in 2005. Published by Cambridge University Press in 2017, the book uses one life story to examine how witchcraft accusations, political upheaval and personal misfortune intersected in post-apartheid South Africa, situating Niehaus's writing within the broader anthropological literature that treats witchcraft as a lens on social change and community tension.
📖 Where to start with Isak Niehaus
💬 What our editors say about Isak Niehaus's books
“Niehaus provides a scholarly yet accessible reconstruction of Jimmy Mohale’s life, offering valuable insights into South African spiritual ecology. However, readers expecting thrilling occult rituals or practical magical…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on Witchcraft and a Life in the New South Africa Niehaus, Isak
“This is a dense, academic ethnography that demands patience and intellectual rigor from its audience. While intellectually stimulating for those studying political anthropology or African studies, it will likely alienate casual…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on Witchcraft, Power and Politics: Exploring the Occult in the South African Lowveld Niehaus, Isak
“This text demands patience and a willingness to engage with dense anthropological concepts regarding witchcraft and ancestral influence. While it offers a profound look at the intersection of politics and spirituality, it may not…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on Witchcraft and a Life in the New South Africa Niehaus, Isak
📋 Editions by Isak Niehaus in the catalog
| Edition | Year | Publisher | Pages | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Witchcraft and a Life in the New South Africa Niehaus, Isak | 2017 | Cambridge University Press | 265 | 9781108442695 |
| Witchcraft, Power and Politics: Exploring the Occult in the Sout | 2001 | Pluto Press (UK) | 272 | 9780745315638 |
| Witchcraft and a Life in the New South Africa Niehaus, Isak | — | Cambridge University Press | 259 | 9781107016286 |
| Witchcraft, Power and Politics: Exploring the Occult in the Sout | 2001 | Pluto Press (UK) | 272 | 9780745315584 |
