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In the NoCo

What the history of witchcraft can teach us about the world today, according to a CSU professor

While the most popular tarot card deck is the Rider-Waite deck, many readers use a multitude of decks with various art styles.
Isabel Guzman
/
Colorado Community Media

Witches are having a moment – and not only because Halloween is almost here.

A recent Pew Research survey of Americans’ religious beliefs found a growing number of people identify as spiritual but not religious. Crystals, tarot cards, and astrology apps are part of many people’s lives in 2025. And in Colorado, about 1% of people in that survey checked the box for “Pagan, Wiccan, or other ‘New Age’” belief when asked about their religious views.

Today's guest has a unique perspective on these trends. Ann Little is a professor of history at Colorado State University. Some of her American history courses explore witchcraft in early North America.

Ann talked with In The NoCo’s Erin O’Toole about what we can learn from the days of witch trials and why she was initially reluctant to teach a course about it.

KUNC's In The NoCo is a daily slice of stories, news, people and issues. It's a window to the communities along the Colorado Rocky Mountains. The show brings context and insight to the stories of the day, often elevating unheard voices in the process. And because life in Northern Colorado is a balance of work and play, we celebrate the lighter side of things here, too.
As the host of KUNC’s news program and podcast In The NoCo, I work closely with our producers and reporters to bring context and diverse perspectives to the important issues of the day. Northern Colorado is such a diverse and growing region, brimming with history, culture, music, education, civic engagement, and amazing outdoor recreation. I love finding the stories and voices that reflect what makes NoCo such an extraordinary place to live.
Brad Turner is an executive producer in KUNC's newsroom. He manages the podcast team that makes In The NoCo, which also airs weekdays in Morning Edition and All Things Considered. His work as a podcaster and journalist has appeared on NPR's Weekend Edition, NPR Music, the PBS Newshour, Colorado Public Radio, MTV Online, the Denver Post, Boulder's Daily Camera, and the Longmont Times-Call.