Edinburgh Ragged University

Come along to The Outhouse, (12A Broughton Street Lane, Edinburgh), 6.30pm doors open for drinks and conversation; 7pm start on Thursday 28th May 2026. There will be some food provided on the table, and you are invited to bring along an item of food to put on the table and take away what is left at the end. After the break there is a second talk you are welcome to stay for.

### Title of talk:

A history of Scottish Witches

### Bullet points of what you would like to talk about:

• witchcraft and belief
• magic and the faeries
• the role of the kirk
• the role of the courts

### A few paragraphs on your subject:

A History of Scottish Witches: The Devil’s Handmaidens is a compelling talk that explores the persecution of alleged witches in Scotland between 1563 and 1736. It examines how a potent mix of religion, politics, and fear created the conditions for one of the most intense witch-hunting periods in Europe. Drawing on the influence of figures such as John Knox and James VI of Scotland, the talk considers how authority and belief combined to shape attitudes toward witchcraft.
At the heart of the discussion is the transformation of everyday magical and fairy beliefs into something far more sinister. What had once been part of ordinary life became recast as evidence of Devil worship, driven in large part by the Scottish Kirk’s growing obsession with demonic influence. Using vivid examples from trial records and so-called witch confessions, the talk reveals how these ideas were enforced and sustained through both religious and legal systems.
The talk also highlights the social dimensions of the witch hunts, particularly the ways in which societal expectations of women left them especially vulnerable to accusation. It explores how the instability of the Reformation and the Wars of the Three Kingdoms intensified these pressures, creating an atmosphere in which suspicion and fear could thrive. Ultimately, it asks why so many people came to believe that the Devil was an ever-present threat, how this widespread panic took hold, and what finally brought it to an end.
In reflecting on the impact of this period on ordinary people, the talk offers a thoughtful consideration of its lasting significance. It invites audiences to think about what these events reveal about the power of belief, the dangers of moral panic, and the lessons this history might still hold for society today.

### A few paragraphs about you:

I am Mary W. Craig, a writer and historian living and working in Scotland. I am a former Carnegie scholar and a graduate of the University of Glasgow.
In my non-fiction writing I explore various aspects of the history of northern Europe; most notably how political changes affect people’s lives and how individuals and communities react to those changes. I have a particular interest in the women and men accused as witches in 17th century Scotland.

### What free internet knowledge resources would you recommend ?

Come along to St Margaret’s House, 3rd Floor Workshop space (151 London Road, Edinburgh, EH7 6AE, +44 (0)131 661 1924, info@scot-art.co.uk), from 1pm to 4pm on Sunday June 28th 2026 for a workshop showing a live demonstration of how to install Windows 11 on your laptop. Bring along an item of food to put on the table and take away what is left at the end; free Artisan Roast coffee and Clipper Organic tea will be served.

### Title of talk:

IT and Biscuits: A live demonstration of how to install Windows 11 on your laptop

### Bullet points of what you would like to talk about:

• Resetting Windows 11 on an existing machine
• How to download Windows 11
• How to make an installation USB
• How to install Windows 11 on a Laptop without creating a Microsoft Account
• How to privacy harden Windows; configure settings and block telemetry
• How to debloat Windows; remove Copilot AI and other commercial features
• How to security harden Windows; install a VPN and antimalware
• How to install other programs on Linux mint
• A general conversation responding to questions about IT and personal computing

### A few paragraphs on your subject:

For decades now Microsoft Windows has been the dominant operating system in the world for personal computing. Many people are habituated to using it and dont want to change because of the familiarity they have with it. With the advent of Windows 11, there have been many updates which have either broken computers, made them run slow and/or allowed the mass collection of private data of the owner of the computer.
For people who do not want to change their operating system there are a number of things which improve the experience of using windows, improve the privacy by blocking unnecessary information being collected by Microsoft and other third party vendors, improve the speed of the hardware by reducing the demand on the processor, improve the security of the computer by removing Copilot artificial intelligence.
In short, Microsoft Windows has become a bloated piece of software which is designed to serve corporate companies targeting the PC owner as a source of data extraction and revenue collection. With forced redundancy and what the Cory Doctorow of the Electronic Freedom Foundation coined as the ‘Enshitification’ of existing working products, a movement of computer users have taken it on themselves to produce tools which shore up the failures which Microsoft is exporting into the lives of people.
In this workshop I am going to show a live demonstration of installing a fresh copy of Windows 11 onto a laptop before configuring the privacy settings, debloating it, blocking telemetry, removing all the copilot artificial intelligence and hardening its security. I will be answering questions during the session and it will be a conversational guide to managing and improving the Microsoft Windows operating system for those who want to stick with it but get the most out of their hardware.

### A few paragraphs about you:

I have been involved in a number of digital literacies teaching courses and have a personal interest in computer technologies which are private to the user, secure from hackers and fraudsters, and stable so that work does not get lost.
I also have a deep interest in the longevity of computer machines looking at ways of making sure my computers and other peoples computers last a long time and do not end up as e-waste through waves of inbuilt redundancy driven by unscrupulous multinationals.
Having been involved in education for many years now, I have been developing perspectives based around minimal resource computing and computing within limits which step away from the consumer frenzy of constant updates and the deliberate degradation of computer products so that a new wave of products can be sold.

For software and learning resources associated with this workshop, please visit: