Sociology Professor Mensah Adinkrah Presents at Witchcraft Symposium in Norway

2026-03-12 · Central Michigan University News

Professor Adinkrah traveled to Oslo, Norway, to participate in Heksefest, an international symposium bringing together scholars, artists, and cultural commentators to examine witchcraft’s historical and contemporary meanings.

His presentation, “Witchcraft Beliefs and Witch Hunts in Ghana,” examined how witchcraft beliefs persist in contemporary Ghanaian society and the social dynamics leading to accusations, persecution, and violence against alleged witches — drawing from his book Witchcraft, Witches, and Violence in Ghana (2015, Berghahn Books).

Adinkrah participated in a dialogue titled “Witch Hunts Across Localities and Temporalities” with Professor Liv Helene Willumsen of UiT The Arctic University of Norway, moderated by movie producer Una Mathiesen Gjerde.

“It was a singular honor to share the stage with internationally renowned witchcraft scholars such as Professors Silvia Federici and Liv Helene Willumsen.”

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