„Zrobiliśmy rewolucję trochę i zmieniliśmy obraz wróżki”
“We Have Done a Little Bit of a Revolution and Changed the Image of the Witch”

Contemporary Witches and Magical Practices on Social Media

Summary/Abstract: As social, economic, and environmental crises deepen, there is a growing demand in societies for spiritual practices that institutional religions can no longer serve. The aim of this article is to present and analyse – with the use of theoretical tools from cultural studies, communication and media sciences, and the sociology of religion – the impact of social media on the contemporary magic, esotericism, and occultism practiced through these media. Based on observations and interviews conducted on TikTok and Instagram using grounded theory methodology, the author presents examples of the use of the technological functions of social media platforms as vehicles for magic activities. She also proposes a division of the Polish witchcraft community into three generations, which differ in the way they conceptualise their profession. The article also points out the functional and discursive similarities between the practices of the youngest generation of social media witches and the popular trend of self-development and personal growth.

• Details
• Contents