Historical Lens
The 16th and 17th-century Scottish Witch Trials are historical occurrences understandable through different perspectives. Many scholars view and analyze medieval events using the historical lens. According to Gilbert et al. (2019), the historical view provides the chronology of occurrences during different ages in the past.
The perspective holds that things that happened in history happened because individuals made them happen. Power, gender dynamics, and beliefs are powerful tools in the historical lens that help explain occurrences. For example, biased governance during the 16th and 17th centuries in Scotland paved the way for the killing of people without seeking evidence.
Religion and the extreme influence of the royal families made the occurrences possible. At the same time, the patriarchal regime saw no problem in accusing and killing women gathering social influence. Moreover, the prevailing belief that women should remain male allowed the general public to tolerate the murder of female witches without protesting.
Social Science Lens
Demographics are segments of people in a society classified according to age, income, or sex, among other factors. Accordingly, specific demographical and statistical aspects concerning the 16th and 17th-century Scottish Witch Trials provide essential information for analyzing the events through the social science lens. Craig (2020) reports that most tried and executed witches were women, contributing to about 98% of the total population.
The matter tells a lot about society’s behavior towards the right to life and societal control, especially among men. Moreover, accounts regarding the then Scottish religious groups and their mode of administration provide a powerful explanation for the heinous deeds towards the so-called witches. The institutions and their leadership structures offer powerful facets whose analysis can help explain the matter. Willumsen et al. (2020) observe that envy and insecurity among the male religious leaders who feared that women believed to have supernatural powers would destabilize their corrupt administrations led to their trials and murder. Combining the history and social science lenses thus helps one understand the occurrences and the possible underlying causes of the atrocities.
References
Craig, M. W. (2020). Borders witch hunt: 17th-century witchcraft trials in the Scottish borders. United Kingdom: Luath Press Limited.
Gilbert, R., Tudball, L. & Brett, P. (2019). Teaching humanities & social sciences: Teaching & learning across Australia, 7th edition. Cengage.
Willumsen, L. H, Goodare, J. & Voltmer, R. (2020). Demonology and witch-hunting in early modern Europe. United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis.