About the author
Kathryn Rountree is a social anthropologist known for her ethnographic research on contemporary Paganism, Goddess spirituality, and feminist ritual practice. Her book Embracing the Witch and the Goddess: Feminist Ritual-Makers in New Zealand (Routledge, 2003) is a detailed academic study of present-day feminist witches in New Zealand, examining what draws practitioners to witchcraft and documenting their rituals, beliefs, and understandings of how magic works. Rather than offering practical instruction, the book approaches witchcraft as a social and cultural phenomenon, drawing on fieldwork to portray a community that had previously gone largely undocumented in scholarship. Rountree's wider academic work extends into related fieldwork on Goddess pilgrimage and Pagan communities in the Mediterranean. For readers interested in the sociology and anthropology of modern witchcraft, rather than its practice, her book remains a frequently cited academic source.
📖 Where to start with Kathryn Rountree
💬 What our editors say about Kathryn Rountree's books
“Rountree provides a scholarly yet accessible map of New Zealand’s feminist witches, dissecting ritual mechanics and psychological attraction with precision. However, readers seeking practical spellbooks or generic Anglo-American…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on Embracing the Witch and the Goddess: Feminist Ritual-Makers in New Zealand
“Rountree delivers a rigorous academic survey that meticulously maps the lives of contemporary feminist witches in New Zealand. While the text offers profound insights into personal beliefs and ritual-making, its scholarly tone…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on Embracing the Witch and the Goddess: Feminist Ritual-Makers in New Zealand
