Satanic Panic : A History of Ritual-Abuse Allegations, Cultural Anxiety, and America's 1980s-1990s Moral Panic
Overview
How did unproven claims of secret cults become a national crisis?
During the 1980s and 1990s, disturbing accusations swept through American communities. Parents questioned trusted caregivers, television broadcasts amplified frightening stories, and criminal investigations changed lives long before the evidence had been fully examined.
Satanic Panic offers a clear, measured account of the ritual-abuse scare and the forces that sustained it. Explore the McMartin Preschool investigation, Fells Acres, Little Rascals, and the Keller case, alongside the influence of Michelle Remembers, recovered-memory therapy, religious campaigns, heavy metal music, and Dungeons & Dragons.
The book examines how suggestive interviews, disputed memories, media sensationalism, and professional authority shaped public belief. It distinguishes documented abuse from unsupported conspiracy claims and explains why acquittals, overturned convictions, dismissals, and exonerations must be understood separately.
Written for readers of American social history, psychology, and criminal justice, this accessible account follows the controversy from its origins to its lasting human consequences and echoes in modern conspiracy culture. Discover how collective fear can reshape institutions-and why protecting vulnerable people depends on careful investigation, fair procedures, and reliable evidence.
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Details
- ISBN-13: 9798162703075
- ISBN-10: 9798162703075
- Publisher: Independently Published
- Publish Date: October 2026
- Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.34 inches
- Shipping Weight: 0.49 pounds
- Page Count: 160
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