UAM | "In the eyes of the inquisitor: decoding the witches"

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We propose to carry out a practical paleography workshop, using manuscripts from inquisitorial processes against Madrid women accused of witchcraft, which took place in the Court of the Inquisition of Basin. Through this decoding and transcription, we will try to extract the voice of these women through the interrogations to which they were submitted by the inquisitors, so that the people interested in this activity know how to go to the primary sources and from them analyze, understand and reflect on a phenomenon such as the «witch hunt». We also propose holding a gymkhana, for participants of all ages, with the following phases: a) Introduction (presentation to the participants where we would explain what is going to consist of the game and its objective, together with the general lines of the inquisitorial processes); b) Division of participants into teams (inquisitors, witches); c) Search for clues on the campus of the UAM; d) Tests and challenges (necessary to complete the gymkhana); e) awards ceremony (previously the groups will contribute their conclusions about what they have learned in this adventure). In short, we aspire to respond to the problems that today's society poses about the discrimination, misogyny, contempt, hatred, rejection, marginalization, etc. to certain social collectives, through knowledge and reflection on similar events that occurred in the past, aspiring to consolidate a constructive critical mass in our 21st century. This activity is framed within the consolidated research group «Mentalidades magic and anti-superstitious discourses (16th, 17th and 18th centuries)» from the Autonomous University of Madrid <http://www.mariajesuszamora.es/grupo_MMDA/index.html >.