Steilneset Memorial and Feminicide

This book brings together contributions from female authors on feminicide and violence against women. Steilneset Memorial in Finnmark, Norway was built by Norwegian Scenic Routes to commemorate the victims of the Finnmark witchcraft trials in the seventeenth century. The memorial was opened in 2011, and is based on three components: art, architecture, and history. The artist is Louise Bourgeois, who created an art installation. The architect is Peter Zumthor, who designed the memorial’s two buildings. The historian is Liv Helene Willumsen, who wrote one commemoratory text for each of the victims. The majority were women: of the 91 persons who were executed, 77 were women and only 14 were men. This book therefore uses Steilneset Memorial as a starting point to explore contemporary feminicide and violence against women, as the misogyny which was fundamental to the persecution of alleged witches in the 1600s is still seen today throughout the world.