Saturday, June 04, 2016

Conference in London on "Satanic Abuse Scare"

UK Satanic Abuse Scare: 25 Years On
In the late 80s and early 90s the media portrayed Pagans as satanic, large-scale ritual child abusers. Definitively disproven by a thorough government-funded investigation, the scare is nonetheless of significance for understanding new religious movements, British society and ideas about Paganism. Tonight’s conference revisits the scare with first-hand accounts of what it was like for Pagans, and then how it ended after researchers and investigative journalism got involved.  The preceding wine reception will include an exhibition of periodicals from the period – courtesy of Pagan News and Inform's archives. The event is a collaboration between Inform and Treadwell's. 

The five speakers are:
Prof. Jean LaFontaine, Professor Emeritus of the London School of Economics, and board member of Inform. Professor Lafontaine is author of the report which effectively ended the scare.

Prudence Jones, former president of the Pagan Federation, and active senior member during the scare

Phil Hine Co-founder and co-editor of Pagan News in the early 1990s

Amanda van Eck Associate Director of Inform, a doctoral student in sociology at LSE

Rosie Waterhouse Director of the MA in Investigative Journalism MA, at City University London and a freelance journalist whose pioneering journalism was instrumental in ending the scare

Where: London School of Economics New Academic Building 54 Lincolns Inn Fields (Holborn Tube)
When: Tuesday July 5th, 5:30pm – 9:30pm
Price: £15

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