Join Dr Gary Robinson Senior Lecturer in Archaeology for this FREE online Taster Session
This lecture investigates the transatlantic contours of the Satanic Panic, a moral and cultural crisis that gripped both the United States and the United Kingdom from the 1980s into the early 1990s. It examines how anxieties about child protection, social change, and the erosion of traditional values were reflected in popular and material culture. From televised tabloid expos茅s to courtroom battles over alleged ritual abuse, the panic was fuelled by a potent mix of evangelical activism, media sensationalism, and professional authority. Central to this phenomenon were everyday cultural objects鈥攈eavy metal albums, horror films, role-playing games, and children鈥檚 toys, which came to embody perceived threats of satanic influence. By comparing how the panic unfolded in the UK and the US, this lecture highlights both shared cultural scripts and national differences, revealing how ordinary cultural forms were transformed into contested symbols within wider struggles over morality, authority, and belief.
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This session will be delivered through the medium of English.
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