About the book: 2010 / What socio-psychological mechanisms underlie belief in witchcraft? How are personal narratives about the evil eye and damage formed in modern Russian society? What are their traditional bases and modern modifications? Why are ideas about witchcraft preserved and passed on to subsequent generations? The author, ethnologist and folklorist, based on his field materials collected in several regions of Russia in 1998–2008, considers belief in witchcraft as a socio-cultural phenomenon that combines social relations, behavioral patterns and mythological plots. The book is written in accessible language and is intended both for specialists in the field of folklore, ethnology, social and cultural anthropology, and for a wide range of readers.