![Why is witchcraft on the rise?](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_66742dd00d157.jpg)
![Why is witchcraft on the rise?](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_603bdd9dd4980.jpg)
![Why is witchcraft on the rise?](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_6038dc5193230.jpg)
![Why is witchcraft on the rise?](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_6038dc50ec496.jpg)
![Why is witchcraft on the rise?](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_603916cb5749d.jpg)
![Why is witchcraft on the rise?](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_603d06d9e1990.jpg)
![Why is witchcraft on the rise?](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_59e7379becdfe.jpg)
![Why is witchcraft on the rise?](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_60acc2f520bd9.jpg)
![Why is witchcraft on the rise?](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_603c0b9900072.jpg)
![Why is witchcraft on the rise?](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_5a843ee8820fa.jpg)
![Why is witchcraft on the rise?](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_603bdbd24ae1f.jpg)
![Why is witchcraft on the rise?](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_603bdbd4aa397.jpg)
![Why is witchcraft on the rise?](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_603be163bf24a.jpg)
![Why is witchcraft on the rise?](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_603be4384342a.jpg)
![Why is witchcraft on the rise?](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_603929898138f.jpg)
![Why is witchcraft on the rise?](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_603916cb547a6.jpg)
![Why is witchcraft on the rise?](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_6038dc4910615.jpg)
![Why is witchcraft on the rise?](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_603bdc3b02bea.jpg)
![Why is witchcraft on the rise?](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_60368c58f3027.jpg)
![Why is witchcraft on the rise?](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_603bdbd2692bf.jpg)
![Why is witchcraft on the rise?](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_600efe88d69a8.jpg)
![Why is witchcraft on the rise?](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_5e4d1ca56284a.jpg)
![Why is witchcraft on the rise?](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_5e4d1cc3a2f1c.jpg)
![Why is witchcraft on the rise?](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_603bdbd2b94f5.jpg)
![Why is witchcraft on the rise?](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_5e99dfb9490de.jpg)
![Why is witchcraft on the rise?](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_603bdda2c27f7.jpg)
![Why is witchcraft on the rise?](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_5f57a96443ac7.jpg)
![Why is witchcraft on the rise?](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_5f588b61582c3.jpg)
![Why is witchcraft on the rise?](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_59e73824cfdd0.jpg)
![Why is witchcraft on the rise?](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_600ef7b21e78e.jpg)
![Why is witchcraft on the rise?](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/gallery/1080/na_64b554986e745.jpg)
See Also
See Again
© Getty Images
0 / 31 Fotos
A human phenomenon
- Belief in witches and witchcraft has been so pervasive throughout history, in every inhabited corner of the world, that some scholars suggest it might be an innate part of human nature.
© Shutterstock
1 / 31 Fotos
The plight of witches
- The traditions and rituals of witchcraft have been deeply embedded in many different cultures for a long time. In the past, witches (and those accused of being witches) were demonized and hunted.
© Getty Images
2 / 31 Fotos
Taboos and negative connotations
- Even in more recent history, witch culture has been considered taboo, creepy, and sacrilegious. In many religious countries it’s seen as an affront to God and is automatically associated with Satanism and the darker side of the occult.
© Getty Images
3 / 31 Fotos
Witches in popular culture
- The idea of a witch as portrayed in cinema brings to mind a hook-nosed crone cackling over a boiling cauldron as she carries out some nefarious deed. Artists from William Shakespeare to Roald Dahl have helped to create this image.
© Getty Images
4 / 31 Fotos
Witches in popular culture
- The image of witches as insidious, evil women reflects greatly on society’s attitudes towards women through the ages. A woman could be tried as a witch for the most benign reasons if she was seen to be stepping outside of her prescribed role.
© Getty Images
5 / 31 Fotos
Persecution of women - During the period in history when the Salem Witch Trials occurred, a woman was suspicious if she had too many children, or too few. If she was poor, it was a negative reflection on her character. If she was too wealthy, then she may have gained her riches in a sinful way. And God forbid a woman might speak her mind or enjoy sex!
© Shutterstock
6 / 31 Fotos
Witch hunts
- The witch hunts of this era say more about attitudes towards women than they do about the other-worldly talents of these so-called witches.
© Getty Images
7 / 31 Fotos
The witchcraft revivals
- As the years went by and women began to establish a better social position for themselves, witchcraft experienced numerous renaissances.
© Getty Images
8 / 31 Fotos
Women's suffrage
- Unsurprisingly, one of the key revival periods of witchcraft occurred during the women’s suffrage movement at the turn of the 20th century. Witches began to be rebranded as spiritual leaders and wisewomen rather than evil sorcerers.
© Getty Images
9 / 31 Fotos
Second-wave feminism
- There was another surge in interest around the Woodstock era in the 1960s, when second-wave feminism was on the rise. A group of witch activists called W.I.T.C.H. (Women's International Terrorist Conspiracy from Hell) famously put a hex on Wall Street as a form of protest in 1968.
© Getty Images
10 / 31 Fotos
Anita Hill
- It peaked again in the ‘90s around the time of the notorious Anita Hill trial. Law professor Anita Hill accused Clarence Thomas of sexually harassing her in the workplace. Thomas was a nominee for the Supreme Court at the time.
© Getty Images
11 / 31 Fotos
Year of the Woman
- The trial was widely considered a national disgrace and Thomas was still voted into the Supreme Court afterwards. The case had a profound impact and the following year (1992) was named Year of the Woman, after a record number of women ran for political office.
© Getty Images
12 / 31 Fotos
Trump election and Me Too
- The popularity of witchcraft spiked again recently with Donald Trump’s election and the Me Too Movement. For more than a century, witches have emerged at moments in history when feminism is on the rise and trust in the establishment is at a low.
© Getty Images
13 / 31 Fotos
The modern witch
- Witchcraft is being reclaimed as a spiritual practice centering around female empowerment. Witch and author Pam Grossman believes that the modern witch performs magic at her altar when casting spells, but is also performing magic when she marches in the streets for a cause she believes in.
© Getty Images
14 / 31 Fotos
Redefining the witch
- Juliet Diaz, a New Jersey-based witch and winner of the prestigious title of Best Witch in 2018, has her own definition of what it means to be a witch. She believes a witch is simply “an embodiment of her truth in all its power.”
© Getty Images
15 / 31 Fotos
Who practices witchcraft?
- Witchcraft tends to be practiced by those who feel marginalized. While it’s predominantly women who identify as witches, it’s also popular in LGBTQ communities and with people of color. "Witch" is a gender-neutral term and witch communities are often open and accepting of people who perceive themselves as outsiders.
© Getty Images
16 / 31 Fotos
A safe community
- Those who feel frustrated and disappointed with the social and political structures around them tend to look for solace and community elsewhere.
© Getty Images
17 / 31 Fotos
Astrology and spirituality in the 21st century
- Astrology is enjoying a renaissance of cultural acceptance that hasn’t been seen since the 1970s. Witchcraft fits smoothly into this new age of self-care rituals. It offers a way for people to connect to themselves and nature through spiritual practices that are rooted in feminine power.
© Shutterstock
18 / 31 Fotos
‘The Modern Witch’s Guide to Happiness’
- The Bible for many a modern witch is ‘The Modern Witch’s Guide to Happiness’ by Luna Bailey. Many of the practices she outlines provide the perfect blend of spirituality, female empowerment, and self-care.
© Getty Images
19 / 31 Fotos
Swapping caldrons for crystals
- Rather than pointed hats and caldrons, modern witches tend to have crystals and sage as central parts of their accoutrement. Bailey advises setting up an altar as a space dedicated to this new practice and place of growth.
© Shutterstock
20 / 31 Fotos
Witchcraft and nature
- A key feature of Bailey’s guide to modern witchcraft involves connection with nature. She advises her readers to touch leaves, collect souvenirs of each season, and listen out for sounds from the Earth in their daily lives.
© Shutterstock
21 / 31 Fotos
A sound psychological basis
- Spending time in nature is inherently soothing for most people. There are many other spiritual and psychological practices that rely on this, such as “forest bathing” for stress relief.
© Shutterstock
22 / 31 Fotos
Burn and banish
- Some of the spells recommended by Bailey in her book also have a great deal of crossover with common therapeutic exercises. One “burning and banishing” spell involves writing down things you’re worried about on pieces of paper, and then burning them.
© Getty Images
23 / 31 Fotos
Proven benefits
- The benefits of journaling or writing letters (even if you don’t send them) is widely accepted, and adding the extra step of burning what you’ve written naturally makes the experience even more cathartic.
© Shutterstock
24 / 31 Fotos
Tarot cards
- Tarot cards may be one of the most woo-woo elements of modern witchcraft, but once you get down to it, this can also be another therapeutic practice. You select cards and interpret them with particular questions or objectives in mind.
© Shutterstock
25 / 31 Fotos
Comparing tarot cards with dream analysis
- In therapy, patients may be encouraged to discuss their dreams with their psychologist. Although the Freudian theory that dreams are a direct line to our subconscious desires doesn’t necessarily hold true today, there is still value in analyzing them.
© Getty Images
26 / 31 Fotos
Comparing tarot cards with dream analysis
- The meaning that the patient projects onto the dream can be just as informative as the dream itself. The same could be said of tarot cards.
© Getty Images
27 / 31 Fotos
A flexible and open community
- The fact that there is no set criteria for being a witch is one of its main appeals. There are people who identify as sea witches, city witches, cottage witches, and plant witches. Each person seems to express their own personality and lifestyle through their style of witchcraft.
© Shutterstock
28 / 31 Fotos
Redefining magic through mindfulness
- Many modern witches are trying to draw awareness to the fact that everything around us is magical. The experience of being a living person on planet Earth is already so incredible, we don't need the TV fantasies of magical wands and flying broomsticks.
© Shutterstock
29 / 31 Fotos
Who's in?
- To be a witch in the 21st century is to be a feminist, a lover of nature, an outsider, and an activist. With that in mind, it would be surprising if witchcraft wasn't on the rise. Sources: (The Atlantic) (Vogue) (The Independent) (The Conversation) (NCBI) See also: Would you be accused of witchcraft in the 17th century?
© Getty Images
30 / 31 Fotos
© Getty Images
0 / 31 Fotos
A human phenomenon
- Belief in witches and witchcraft has been so pervasive throughout history, in every inhabited corner of the world, that some scholars suggest it might be an innate part of human nature.
© Shutterstock
1 / 31 Fotos
The plight of witches
- The traditions and rituals of witchcraft have been deeply embedded in many different cultures for a long time. In the past, witches (and those accused of being witches) were demonized and hunted.
© Getty Images
2 / 31 Fotos
Taboos and negative connotations
- Even in more recent history, witch culture has been considered taboo, creepy, and sacrilegious. In many religious countries it’s seen as an affront to God and is automatically associated with Satanism and the darker side of the occult.
© Getty Images
3 / 31 Fotos
Witches in popular culture
- The idea of a witch as portrayed in cinema brings to mind a hook-nosed crone cackling over a boiling cauldron as she carries out some nefarious deed. Artists from William Shakespeare to Roald Dahl have helped to create this image.
© Getty Images
4 / 31 Fotos
Witches in popular culture
- The image of witches as insidious, evil women reflects greatly on society’s attitudes towards women through the ages. A woman could be tried as a witch for the most benign reasons if she was seen to be stepping outside of her prescribed role.
© Getty Images
5 / 31 Fotos
Persecution of women - During the period in history when the Salem Witch Trials occurred, a woman was suspicious if she had too many children, or too few. If she was poor, it was a negative reflection on her character. If she was too wealthy, then she may have gained her riches in a sinful way. And God forbid a woman might speak her mind or enjoy sex!
© Shutterstock
6 / 31 Fotos
Witch hunts
- The witch hunts of this era say more about attitudes towards women than they do about the other-worldly talents of these so-called witches.
© Getty Images
7 / 31 Fotos
The witchcraft revivals
- As the years went by and women began to establish a better social position for themselves, witchcraft experienced numerous renaissances.
© Getty Images
8 / 31 Fotos
Women's suffrage
- Unsurprisingly, one of the key revival periods of witchcraft occurred during the women’s suffrage movement at the turn of the 20th century. Witches began to be rebranded as spiritual leaders and wisewomen rather than evil sorcerers.
© Getty Images
9 / 31 Fotos
Second-wave feminism
- There was another surge in interest around the Woodstock era in the 1960s, when second-wave feminism was on the rise. A group of witch activists called W.I.T.C.H. (Women's International Terrorist Conspiracy from Hell) famously put a hex on Wall Street as a form of protest in 1968.
© Getty Images
10 / 31 Fotos
Anita Hill
- It peaked again in the ‘90s around the time of the notorious Anita Hill trial. Law professor Anita Hill accused Clarence Thomas of sexually harassing her in the workplace. Thomas was a nominee for the Supreme Court at the time.
© Getty Images
11 / 31 Fotos
Year of the Woman
- The trial was widely considered a national disgrace and Thomas was still voted into the Supreme Court afterwards. The case had a profound impact and the following year (1992) was named Year of the Woman, after a record number of women ran for political office.
© Getty Images
12 / 31 Fotos
Trump election and Me Too
- The popularity of witchcraft spiked again recently with Donald Trump’s election and the Me Too Movement. For more than a century, witches have emerged at moments in history when feminism is on the rise and trust in the establishment is at a low.
© Getty Images
13 / 31 Fotos
The modern witch
- Witchcraft is being reclaimed as a spiritual practice centering around female empowerment. Witch and author Pam Grossman believes that the modern witch performs magic at her altar when casting spells, but is also performing magic when she marches in the streets for a cause she believes in.
© Getty Images
14 / 31 Fotos
Redefining the witch
- Juliet Diaz, a New Jersey-based witch and winner of the prestigious title of Best Witch in 2018, has her own definition of what it means to be a witch. She believes a witch is simply “an embodiment of her truth in all its power.”
© Getty Images
15 / 31 Fotos
Who practices witchcraft?
- Witchcraft tends to be practiced by those who feel marginalized. While it’s predominantly women who identify as witches, it’s also popular in LGBTQ communities and with people of color. "Witch" is a gender-neutral term and witch communities are often open and accepting of people who perceive themselves as outsiders.
© Getty Images
16 / 31 Fotos
A safe community
- Those who feel frustrated and disappointed with the social and political structures around them tend to look for solace and community elsewhere.
© Getty Images
17 / 31 Fotos
Astrology and spirituality in the 21st century
- Astrology is enjoying a renaissance of cultural acceptance that hasn’t been seen since the 1970s. Witchcraft fits smoothly into this new age of self-care rituals. It offers a way for people to connect to themselves and nature through spiritual practices that are rooted in feminine power.
© Shutterstock
18 / 31 Fotos
‘The Modern Witch’s Guide to Happiness’
- The Bible for many a modern witch is ‘The Modern Witch’s Guide to Happiness’ by Luna Bailey. Many of the practices she outlines provide the perfect blend of spirituality, female empowerment, and self-care.
© Getty Images
19 / 31 Fotos
Swapping caldrons for crystals
- Rather than pointed hats and caldrons, modern witches tend to have crystals and sage as central parts of their accoutrement. Bailey advises setting up an altar as a space dedicated to this new practice and place of growth.
© Shutterstock
20 / 31 Fotos
Witchcraft and nature
- A key feature of Bailey’s guide to modern witchcraft involves connection with nature. She advises her readers to touch leaves, collect souvenirs of each season, and listen out for sounds from the Earth in their daily lives.
© Shutterstock
21 / 31 Fotos
A sound psychological basis
- Spending time in nature is inherently soothing for most people. There are many other spiritual and psychological practices that rely on this, such as “forest bathing” for stress relief.
© Shutterstock
22 / 31 Fotos
Burn and banish
- Some of the spells recommended by Bailey in her book also have a great deal of crossover with common therapeutic exercises. One “burning and banishing” spell involves writing down things you’re worried about on pieces of paper, and then burning them.
© Getty Images
23 / 31 Fotos
Proven benefits
- The benefits of journaling or writing letters (even if you don’t send them) is widely accepted, and adding the extra step of burning what you’ve written naturally makes the experience even more cathartic.
© Shutterstock
24 / 31 Fotos
Tarot cards
- Tarot cards may be one of the most woo-woo elements of modern witchcraft, but once you get down to it, this can also be another therapeutic practice. You select cards and interpret them with particular questions or objectives in mind.
© Shutterstock
25 / 31 Fotos
Comparing tarot cards with dream analysis
- In therapy, patients may be encouraged to discuss their dreams with their psychologist. Although the Freudian theory that dreams are a direct line to our subconscious desires doesn’t necessarily hold true today, there is still value in analyzing them.
© Getty Images
26 / 31 Fotos
Comparing tarot cards with dream analysis
- The meaning that the patient projects onto the dream can be just as informative as the dream itself. The same could be said of tarot cards.
© Getty Images
27 / 31 Fotos
A flexible and open community
- The fact that there is no set criteria for being a witch is one of its main appeals. There are people who identify as sea witches, city witches, cottage witches, and plant witches. Each person seems to express their own personality and lifestyle through their style of witchcraft.
© Shutterstock
28 / 31 Fotos
Redefining magic through mindfulness
- Many modern witches are trying to draw awareness to the fact that everything around us is magical. The experience of being a living person on planet Earth is already so incredible, we don't need the TV fantasies of magical wands and flying broomsticks.
© Shutterstock
29 / 31 Fotos
Who's in?
- To be a witch in the 21st century is to be a feminist, a lover of nature, an outsider, and an activist. With that in mind, it would be surprising if witchcraft wasn't on the rise. Sources: (The Atlantic) (Vogue) (The Independent) (The Conversation) (NCBI) See also: Would you be accused of witchcraft in the 17th century?
© Getty Images
30 / 31 Fotos
Why is witchcraft on the rise?
Female empowerment and a need for more accepting forms of spirituality have a lot to do with it
© Shutterstock
Our ideas about witches have evolved steadily over the centuries. We’ve seen them as cackling green-faced monsters and servants of the devil performing occult rituals in human form. In some cultures, pretty much everyone knows a grandma who’s also a bruja. In TV and film, we have the Wicked Witch of the West, and Samantha from ‘Bewitched.’
This is a rather confusing jumble of taboos, misogyny, and feminine wisdom. Let's take a look at how the perception of witches has changed throughout history, and how that has led to a rise in witchcraft today. Click through the gallery to get started.
RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
![The angel number of each zodiac sign](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_66daea83cf3d5.jpg)
![Do you have a Sunday reset routine?](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_66dabb3c56bfa.jpg)
![Natural spies: Animals used in espionage](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_66d9cea393994.jpg)
![Miracles and a temper? Experts investigate Jesus' childhood](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_66dafd980019e.jpg)
![Exploring the tree house hotel where Princess Elizabeth learned she'd be Queen](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_66daf9f737929.jpg)
![The top 30 most valuable brands of 2024](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_66d6f050a2e93.jpg)
![Countries where bosses can't contact employees after hours](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_66dae767723a3.jpg)
![The sad reality of femicide around the world](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_66dace5c31b08.jpg)
![Who is the top goal scorer of all time?](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_66dac9cd5b549.jpg)
![The amazing life of Jane Goodall, the world's most famous primatologist](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_66d9c5a6523fb.jpg)
![What was the Neanderthal diet like?](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_66d9c4ba462b7.jpg)
![The greatest surfers of all time](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_66d82a3991191.jpg)
![Fascinating facts you probably didn't know about the Oval Office](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_66db0390a5798.jpg)
![How does tennis scoring actually work?](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_66d82a540f53f.jpg)
![What would the world look like if mosquitos were eradicated?](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_66d5eac49dc86.jpg)
![Countries that have banned X, TikTok, and Facebook](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_66d72124468bd.jpg)
![Outdated workplace trends to say goodbye to](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_66d8529e0ac2a.jpg)
![American football players who became coaches](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_66d59a4ede1a9.jpg)
![Experts predict a tsunami in Europe with 100% probability](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_66d97aef417a7.jpg)
![The greatest female wrestlers of all time](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_66d5d7aa902d2.jpg)
![How your zodiac sign influences your personality traits](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_66d84e22a505a.jpg)
![Unique ways your zodiac sign sabotages romantic relationships](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_66d84aee582cb.jpg)
![Japan's trick to reverse population collapse](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_66d719469c392.jpg)
![The terrifying history of the dark web](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_66d84942d0d7a.jpg)
![The F1 drivers with the most pole positions ever](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_66d71d2095a6e.jpg)
![The most (and least) intelligent zodiac signs, ranked](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_66d8447cb1c5d.jpg)
![The fascinating spiritual meaning of your animal dreams, revealed](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_66d83ec1a1923.jpg)
![Are you an introvert? These are the telltale signs](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_66d840333af90.jpg)
![The sad reasons why some good relationships don't last](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_66d84195c34c0.jpg)
![Clear signs you've hit a midlife crisis](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_66d83d116bd09.jpg)
![Stunning pictures of the world's strangest and rarest weather phenomena](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_66d83c14b308e.jpg)
![These zodiac signs are the funniest](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_66d8329f2cd1f.jpg)
![You can live in luxury on a budget in these countries](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_66d82d763b2b6.jpg)
![This is why even the best players miss penalties during a shoot-out](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_66d82c209a643.jpg)
![Which countries have the most bald men?](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_66d838cccf6e9.jpg)
![Decode your pup: strange dog behaviors explained](https://media-manager.starsinsider.com/640/na_66d086ddd77a1.jpg)
MOST READ
- Last Hour
- Last Day
- Last Week
-
1
CELEBRITY Relationships
-
2
LIFESTYLE Wealth
-
3
HEALTH Bad habit
-
4
LIFESTYLE History
-
5
FOOD Food storage
-
6
LIFESTYLE Secondhand
-
7
LIFESTYLE Secondhand
-
8
HEALTH Risks
-
9
-
10
LIFESTYLE Politics
Why is the far-right gaining popularity among young people in Europe?