Performing Magic in the Pre-Modern North

13-14 November 2025, Zoom

Due by 1 September 2025

Building upon the success of our previous conferences, where we have explored diverse aspects of pre-modern magic in the North, this year’s conference will focus on the lived, communal, and practical expressions of folk magic. Rather than elite or learned magical traditions, we invite discussions on the everyday magical practices embedded in vernacular culture.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

The roles of cunning folk, healers, midwives, and local magical practitioners
Household and agricultural magic, charms, and protective rites
The use of spoken spells, songs, and folk incantations in practical magic
Magical objects, amulets, and everyday ritual tools in folk traditions
The transmission and evolution of folk magical knowledge across generations

We also accept abstracts that fall under our general theme of magic in the pre-modern North. As always, we are especially interested in interdisciplinary approaches and methodologies.

The language of the conference will be in English and the entire event will take place online to allow for accessibility. Papers should not exceed 20 minutes and will be followed by 10 minutes of discussion and the opportunity for questions.

We encourage students, early career, established, and independent scholars to participate. If you wish to present a paper, please email an abstract of 250-300 words alongside a short personal biography that includes pronouns, name, area of study and institutional affiliation (if relevant) to performingmagicinthenorth@gmail.com by 1 September 2025.

For more information and to submit your abstract, visit https://performingmagicinthepremodernnorthconference.wordpress.com/upcoming-conferences/