Angela Puca
| Angela Puca | |
|---|---|
| |
| Known for | Angela’s Symposium (YouTube channel) |
| Name | Angela Puca |
| Occupation | Scholar of religion; content creator |
| Topics | Esotericism; witchcraft; spirituality |
| Specializations | Paganism; contemporary magic |
| Fields | Religious studies; Western esotericism |
| Wikidata | Q135234511 |
Angela Puca is an Italian scholar of religion known for her work on Western esotericism, Continental folk magic, and contemporary Pagan and spiritual practices. She holds a PhD in anthropology of religion from the University of Leeds and has taught philosophy and religious studies at Leeds Trinity University in England. Puca has published ethnographic research on Italian witchcraft and shamanism, introducing concepts like the Tradition of Segnature (an indigenous Italian folk-healing practice). She co-edited Pagan Religions in Five Minutes (an accessible introduction to Paganism) and is active in public education through her online channel Angela’s Symposium. In addition to scholarly writing, Puca creates popular content (via YouTube, podcasts, and even a forthcoming children’s book) to explain magic, Paganism, and esotericism to a broad audience.
Early Life and Education
Angela Puca was born and raised in Naples, Italy. She studied at the University of Naples “L’Orientale,” earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in philosophy and religion. Her university program focused heavily on Eastern philosophies and religions, and she learned classical languages and Asian dialects – including Latin, Ancient Greek, Sanskrit, and Tibetan – to read primary religious texts. Early in her studies Puca concentrated on Buddhism and other Indian/Tibetan traditions, even planning to become a Buddhologist (a scholar of Buddhist studies). However, throughout her education she remained fascinated by magic and ritual. This led her to transition into the academic study of contemporary witchcraft and Paganism, a field that until then had little presence in Italian universities.
After completing her degrees in Italy, Puca moved to the UK to pursue doctoral research. She was accepted at the University of Leeds, where she earned a PhD (awarded 2021) in Anthropology of Religion under the supervision of Suzanne Owen and Graham Roberts. Her dissertation – now published as a book – was titled “Italian Witchcraft and Shamanism: The Tradition of Segnature, Indigenous and Trans-Cultural Shamanic Traditions in Italy.” To complement her PhD studies, Puca also completed a postgraduate teaching certificate in Higher Education, qualifying her to teach at the college level. She joined the faculty of Leeds Trinity University and served there as a Graduate Teaching Assistant (essentially a university lecturer) in philosophy, ethics, and religion.
Major Works and Ideas
Puca’s scholarship centers on the intersection of magic, witchcraft, Paganism, and shamanism in the modern world, particularly in Italian and Western contexts. Her research blends anthropology, history, and religious studies. For example, Puca’s doctoral research led to key publications on Italian folk magic. She coined the term “Tradition of Segnature” to describe indigenous Italian healing rituals. The Segnature (with segnatori and segnatrici as male and female practitioners) are folk healers who cast protective symbols and words – often making stylized crosses or other marks on the body or objects while reciting incantations. Puca’s work documents how this practice, found in various Italian regions, represents a form of native shamanism. She argues that Segnature blends Catholic imagery (like crosses) with older folk beliefs, and she distinguishes between an older, secretive strand (where healers remained Catholic and kept practices hidden) and a newer, more openly Pagan-inflected strand (where practitioners identify as witches and share their rituals).
Her book Italian Witchcraft and Shamanism (Brill, 2024) presents extensive fieldwork and historical analysis of Italian magick. It describes two parallel phenomena: first, “trans-cultural shamanism,” meaning shamanic practices imported into Italy from other cultures (for example, Andean or Siberian rituals adopted by Italian practitioners); and second, local folk magic traditions (the Segnature) that have persisted for centuries in rural areas. By documenting interviews and archives, Puca shows how modern Italian occultists creatively blend global esoteric ideas with homegrown magic. One study she conducted, for instance, found an Italian woman claiming to be the last hereditary shaman of a local tradition – a discovery that challenged assumptions about the reach of shamanism.
In addition to her field studies, Puca has contributed to edited volumes and handbooks on Paganism and esotericism. She co-edited Pagan Religions in Five Minutes (Equinox, 2022), a series of concise essays answering common questions about Pagan beliefs and practices. This book tackles topics like Wicca, Druidry, Heathenry, and misconceptions about Paganism, making academic knowledge accessible to newcomers. Puca’s own chapter (with co-editor Suzanne Owen) explains what Paganism is and addresses issues such as terminology and history, offering clear definitions for a general audience. The “Five Minutes” format itself reflects one of her goals: to break down complex religious ideas into brief, understandable discussions.
Puca has also written peer-reviewed articles on her research areas. For example, she presented papers on Italian magic at academic conferences (one entitled “Italian Shamanism, Strega, Folk Magic, Segnature and Social Media,” given at a British religious studies congress). While many of her academic works focus on Italy, she situates them within broader trends in Western esotericism. Western esotericism is an academic term for mystical or occult traditions originating in Europe and its cultural offshoots (such as alchemy, Kabbalah, Hermeticism, ceremonial magic, and modern occult movements). Puca studies these currents in the context of today’s spirituality, where ancient symbols and rituals are often reinterpreted by modern practitioners.
A recurring theme in Puca’s work is the “transcultural” aspect of spiritual practices. Transcultural shamanism, for example, refers to shamanic rituals that are adopted and adapted across cultures. Puca notes how, though shamanism historically belongs to Siberian, Amazonian, or other indigenous religions, its ideas have been taken up by Westerners in new forms (american-style “medicine wheel,” neo-shamanic drumming circles, etc.). She examines how Italians merge imported shamanic concepts (for instance, an Andean person’s ayahuasca ritual) with Italy’s own folklore. In this way, Puca’s research highlights both continuity and innovation in esoteric faiths: local legends and Catholic-iconography-based magic exist alongside global New Age influences.
Beyond pure research, Puca applies her ideas experimentally. Under her own name and social media brand, she has developed online courses on Western witchcraft and Italian folk magic. For example, she offers lessons on the Gospel of the Witches (Aradia), etymology of magia popolare, and practical spells of Segnature. While these courses are meant for the general public, they are grounded in her scholarly work and illustrate her major ideas in teachable form.
Method and Approach
Puca’s method is interdisciplinary, blending rigorous scholarship with field anthropology. She has remarked that her academic training involved both textual study and ethnography. On one hand, she pursued languages and historical research: during her Italian university degrees she learned Latin, Greek, Sanskrit, and Tibetan explicitly so she could read original religious texts. This reflects a classical scholarly method of primary-source analysis (for example, reading Pali and Sanskrit dimly to understand Tantric Buddhist rituals, as she did). On the other hand, Puca is fundamentally an anthropologist at heart: she conducts interviews, visits practitioners’ homes, and documents living traditions. Her PhD and book are ethnographic, reporting on what people do and believe. She has done fieldwork in Italian villages and cities, seeking both segnature folk healers and modern neo-shamans. She compares contradictions like a healer who performs Segnature spells in secret but attends Catholic Mass, analyzing the hybrid nature of these beliefs.
In interviews, Puca mentions that the inspiration to study contemporary witchcraft came partly from seeing academic seminars online (notably lectures by Jenny Butler on pagans in Ireland). Realizing that modern witchcraft can be a valid subject of academic research, she applied to UK PhD programs. During her fieldwork, she adapted ethnographic methods used by anthropologists: interviewing family healers, observing rituals like the Taranta (a southern Italian healing dance), and recording magical formulae. She also became a “participant-observer” of sorts, writing about how Italian Occultists describe themselves and their practices. Her approach follows in the footsteps of scholars like Ronald Hutton or Susan Greenwood, but with special emphasis on bridging tribes of academia and magical communities.
Methodologically, Puca is careful to distinguish between insider belief and outsider analysis. She studies Paganism and magic as religious phenomena without necessarily endorsing them. In her YouTube and TikTok presentations, she explicitly cites peer-reviewed sources and makes it clear that her perspective is academic. For example, she often explains terms from the natural sciences of religion or the history of religions and avoids sensationalizing. At the same time, her willingness to label herself a “witchcraft scholar” invites practitioners to accept scholarly voice as valid. In sum, her method combines language study, historical research, and ethnography, all communicated through modern media.
Influence
Angela Puca has become a notable figure both in academia and in contemporary Pagan and occult communities. Within religious studies, she represents a younger generation of scholars expanding the field of Pagan studies and esoteric studies. By focusing on topics like magic and witchcraft – long marginalized in academic curricula – she helps demonstrate that these subjects deserve serious study. Her book on Italian Segnature fills a gap in scholarship: Italy’s folk magic traditions were previously studied mostly by folklorists and anthropologists, but Puca treats them with an eye on “Western esotericism,” showing how they connect to global phenomena. This broad perspective may influence other researchers to look at local traditions in a comparative way.
Puca’s public outreach has arguably had a larger immediate influence. She founded Angela’s Symposium, a podcast and YouTube channel, specifically to make academic research on magic and Paganism accessible. In these episodes, she discusses everything from divination to temple rituals, often summarizing journal articles or books in plain language. Her goal, as she has stated, is to “bridge the gap between academia and the communities of magic practitioners” By doing this, she reaches audiences who might never read academic journals: alternative spirituality enthusiasts, practicing witches, and even teenagers interested in fantasy. Her social media presence (including TikTok shorts and illustrated videos) brings scholarly insight into everyday online conversations about magic and occultism. In effect, Puca’s influence extends beyond formal scholarship; she is shaping how laypeople perceive and learn about Pagan traditions and esotericism.
The popularity of her outreach is notable. Fans of her channel appreciate that her explanations of rituals and myths are grounded in history and scholarship, rather than pop occultism or sensationalism. She often emphasizes evidence and scholarly consensus, which has earned her credibility among practitioners who value authenticity. For example, her clear explanations of why medieval witch trials occurred or what archaeological evidence tells us about ancient deities have been cited by online Pagan communities. By bringing academic rigor to social media, Puca influences both how Pagan studies are taught in universities and how the public understands these traditions.
Puca also influences the field by mentoring and inspiring students. As a lecturer, she likely introduces her topics to undergraduates, some of whom may pursue further research in religious studies. Moreover, her forthcoming children’s book Witches and Wizards (Pan Macmillan, 2026) shows she aims to captivate even younger readers. By writing an illustrated guide to the mythology and history of witchcraft for 8–10-year-olds Puca is potentially shaping the next generation’s image of magic. This indicates her long-term impact: she is normalizing the academic study of witchcraft and Paganism from childhood onward.
Finally, Puca’s influence is felt through collegial networks. She co-edits books with senior scholars (like Suzanne Owen) and presents at international conferences. Other academics, such as Michael York or Sabina Magliocco quoted in the volume she co-edited, appear as collaborators or peers. Through these collaborations, her methodological approaches and findings (like the Tradition of Segnature) enter the discourse of religion scholars worldwide.
Critiques and Reception
As a relatively young scholar, Angela Puca has garnered respect but also the usual scrutiny that accompanies any academic who crosses into popular media. There is little public controversy associated with her work, but some general critiques can be considered in context. One possible critique is the challenge of balancing accessibility with depth. By answering “five-minute” questions or producing short videos, there is a risk of oversimplifying complex subjects. For instance, addressing questions like “Is Paganism a real religion?” in a concise format might not capture all nuances. Traditional scholars could argue that popularizing content in bite-sized pieces dilutes important debates. Puca appears aware of this, however, and tends to encourage further reading or directs viewers to her detailed articles and book for depth. In her background notes she emphasizes that her goal is to share peer-reviewed research, not personal opinion. Reviewers might note that while her style is informative, it is sometimes framed as if common questions were brand-new, which may seem unnecessary to well-informed readers.
Another potential critique involves objectivity. Puca is a scholar who also actively engages with Pagan communities. Some academics believe in strict observer neutrality and might question whether participating in these communities (or producing content that practitioners rely on) affects scholarly distance. However, Puca presents her religion of study as outside her personal practice, and she maintains a scholarly stance in her presentations. In interviews and publications, she remains careful to distinguish between describing belief and endorsing it. Thus far, her work has been received as reputable; her peers have not raised significant substantive criticisms in public forums.
On the flip side, within the Pagan community one could imagine minor critiques. Academics sometimes misinterpret or misunderstand spiritual practice, so enthusiastic followers of witchcraft might debate details Lukewarmly. But Puca’s approach has been generally welcomed as respectful and accurate. If anything, her persona as an academic with a podcast has drawn praise from community members who otherwise distrust “insider” guides. In short, the main critique of Puca’s work tends to be a broader one: how to maintain scholarly nuance while speaking to popular audiences. Puca seems to address this by citing sources and encouraging critical thinking rather than sensationalism.
Finally, some in academia might point out that the fields she covers (e.g. contemporary Paganism, online occultism) are still emerging disciplines. Studying these fields can involve subjective elements like self-reporting or folklore, which some other scholars like to supplement with hard data. But Puca’s combination of historical sources and ethnography is rigorous by anthropological standards. So far, any critical reception of her work appears constructive; for example, reviewers might suggest avenues for future research or note regional differences Puca could explore, rather than challenging her basic findings.
Legacy and Ongoing Impact
Angela Puca’s legacy is still unfolding, but she has already positioned herself as a significant bridge between scholarship and public understanding of esoteric subjects. Through her research and media work, she contributes to the gradual legitimization of Paganism and witchcraft studies within academia. Historically, scholars like Margaret Murray or Mircea Eliade treated magic as folklore or anthropology; modern scholars view it as religion. Puca continues this trend, showing that fields once considered fringe are worthy of serious study.
Her emphasis on education and outreach suggests a legacy that values knowledge-sharing. By authoring a children’s book on witches and wizards, for example, she will influence how magic is perceived by young readers. This is unusual for a professor of religion, and it may encourage other academics to write for broader audiences. Future generations of scholars might cite her as a role model for academic engagement, much as authors like Ronald Hutton influenced public understanding of Pagan history.
Within scholarship, Puca’s conceptual contributions (like defining Segnature) fill gaps in the literature and will likely appear in future works on European folk magic. The fact that Brill published her dissertation means it will be accessible as a standard reference. Her co-edited volumes (and any collaborations) also increase her impact. As her students and followers carry on research, her ideas about transcultural shamanism and Italian magic will be part of the academic conversation.
Because she actively uses social media, Puca’s influence may also lie in how religious studies adapts to the digital age. The notion of an academic podcast or YouTube channel was once unusual; now it is more common, partly due to pioneers like her. If precedent holds, ten years from now scholars may look back at Puca’s work as an early example of combining peer review with TikTok. In that sense, her legacy might include changing how scholarly communication is done.
In summary, Angela Puca’s ongoing career – combining university teaching, original research, and popular media – positions her as a formative figure in the study of modern magic and Paganisms. Her influence goes beyond what a typical academic publication might reach, and she has already contributed new knowledge (e.g. the Tradition of Segnature) that will remain in the field. How this will all be viewed in retrospect depends on how the fields of Pagan studies and esotericism evolve, but for now her work has made a lasting imprint on both scholarly and practitioner communities.
Selected Works
- Puca, Angela. Italian Witchcraft and Shamanism: The Tradition of Segnature, Indigenous and Trans-cultural Shamanic Traditions in Italy. Leiden: Brill, 2024.
- Owen, Suzanne and Angela Puca, editors. Pagan Religions in Five Minutes. Sheffield: Equinox, 2022 (The “Religion in Five Minutes” series).
- Puca, Angela. Witches and Wizards: An Illustrated Guide to the History and Mythology of Witchcraft and Sorcery from Around the World. (Intended for ages 8–10.) Pan Macmillan (UK), forthcoming 2026.
- Puca, Angela (2019). “The Tradition of Segnature: Underground Indigenous Practices in Italy.” International Society for the Academic Study of Religions (conference paper, University College Cork, 2019). (Introduced the concept of Italian Segnature magic.)
Each of these works reflects Puca’s blend of academic rigor and broad appeal – from a detailed scholarly monograph to an accessible short-format introduction.