William G. Pooley

William G. Pooley is a historian of France in the long nineteenth century, interested in popular and folk cultures. He has published work on family history, supernatural beliefs, and the history of the body, drawing on the ethnographic collections of pioneering folklorists such as Jean-Francois Blade and Felix Arnaudin. His current research explores criminal trials involving accusations of witchcraft in France (1790-1940). He has an interest in 'creative histories' and has collaborated with...See more

William G. Pooley is a historian of France in the long nineteenth century, interested in popular and folk cultures. He has published work on family history, supernatural beliefs, and the history of the body, drawing on the ethnographic collections of pioneering folklorists such as Jean-Francois Blade and Felix Arnaudin. His current research explores criminal trials involving accusations of witchcraft in France (1790-1940). He has an interest in 'creative histories' and has collaborated with storytellers, playwrights, and poets to explore questions of what creative approaches bring to historical research. His work has been supported by grants and fellowships from the British Academy, the Society for the Study of French History, the Institute for Historical Research, the Past & Present Society, and the Folklore Society. See less