AbstractsBiology & Animal Science

Fanden er løs! En utviklingshistorisk fremstilling av 'satanisme' som moderne ondskapsforestilling

by Asbjørn Dyrendal




Institution: Philipps-Universität Marburg
Department:
Year: 2015
Posted: 02/05/2017
Record ID: 2131243
Full text PDF: 10.17192/mjr.2000.5.3755;


Abstract

This essay traces the development of some of the central ideas behind the 1980s and 1990s Satanism scare. In the first part of the essay I trace some of the ideas that were disseminated in Norway in 1991-1992 back to their (primarily) American origins in different professions and ideologies. Some of the ideas, such as the 'brainwashing' motif and the framework of a dangerous, subversive movement are well-established in 'traditional' American subversion myths. Others seem to have been shaped around interpretations of troubling events or claims in popular books. In the essay, I emphasize the interplay between the ideas brought up by interest groups and by ideologists as well as the interplay between highly profiled events and later allegations.