About the author
Valerie A. Kivelson is a historian of early modern Russia, a professor at the University of Michigan whose research centers on law, gender, and popular belief in the Muscovite period. Her book "Desperate Magic: The Moral Economy of Witchcraft in Seventeenth-Century Russia" (Cornell University Press, 2013) examines Russian witchcraft trial records and finds that most people accused were men, a striking reversal of the pattern in Catholic and Protestant Europe, where the great majority of the accused were women. Kivelson uses court documents to reconstruct how Russian communities understood magic, malice, and moral obligation, situating her findings against the broader European witch-hunt literature. The book is written for readers of social and legal history rather than for practitioners of witchcraft, and it is frequently cited in comparative studies of the European witch trials. Kivelson has also written on Muscovite cartography and provincial administration.
📖 Where to start with Valerie A Kivelson
💬 What our editors say about Valerie A Kivelson's books
“Kivelson and Worobec have produced a rigorous academic compilation that prioritizes documentary evidence over narrative flair. While it is an essential reference for specialists in Russian and Ukrainian legal history or…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on Witchcraft in Russia and Ukraine, 1000-1900: A Sourcebook Kivelson, Valerie A
“While academically rigorous, this book may frustrate readers seeking a narrative-driven history or those expecting a focus on Satanic cults. It is not suited for casual enthusiasts of supernatural folklore who prefer myth over…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on Desperate Magic: The Moral Economy of Witchcraft in Seventeenth-Century Russia
“This text is a rigorous academic resource rather than a casual narrative, making it unsuitable for readers seeking light entertainment or straightforward Wiccan practice guides. It demands patience from those unaccustomed to…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on Witchcraft in Russia and Ukraine, 1000-1900: A Sourcebook Kivelson, Valerie A
📋 Editions by Valerie A Kivelson in the catalog
| Edition | Year | Publisher | Pages | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Witchcraft in Russia and Ukraine, 1000-1900: A Sourcebook Kivels | 2020 | Northern Illinois Universi | 540 | 9781501750656 |
| Desperate Magic: The Moral Economy of Witchcraft in Seventeenth- | 2013 | Cornell University Press | 376 | 9780801479168 |
| Witchcraft in Russia and Ukraine, 1000-1900: A Sourcebook Kivels | 2020 | Northern Illinois Universi | 540 | 9781501750649 |
| Desperate Magic: The Moral Economy of Witchcraft in Seventeenth- | 2013 | Cornell University Press | 376 | 9780801451461 |
