Chișinău, Moldova / Townsend, DE — April 9, 2026 — Generis Publishing is pleased to announce the publication of a powerful and deeply provocative new book, Encountering Witchcraft: Causality, Fear, and Violence in the Modern World, by award-winning philosopher, public intellectual, and academic leader Professor Januarius Jingwa Asongu.
This groundbreaking work confronts one of the most persistent yet underexamined global phenomena—witchcraft belief and accusation—not as a cultural curiosity, but as a philosophical, psychological, theological, and human rights crisis.
A Bold Intellectual and Moral Intervention
Blending philosophy, theology, psychology, and lived experience, Encountering Witchcraft offers a sweeping and systematic critique of the occult worldview. The book argues that witchcraft is not merely false, but fundamentally incompatible with the structure of reality, reason, and coherent theology.
As the author demonstrates, witchcraft belief persists not because it is true, but because it satisfies deep human needs for explanation, control, and meaning in the face of uncertainty and fear.
From Personal Experience to Global Analysis
The work is deeply rooted in lived experience. In a powerful autobiographical account, Professor Asongu recounts how, as a child, he was falsely accused of witchcraft and nearly died due to untreated illness—an experience that shaped his lifelong intellectual and moral mission .
This personal narrative becomes the foundation for a broader global analysis, revealing how:
- Fear distorts human reasoning
- Misinterpretations of causality lead to harmful beliefs
- Communities construct false explanatory systems to cope with uncertainty
- Vulnerable individuals—especially children, women, and the marginalized—become targets of accusation
A Systematic Refutation of the Occult Worldview
Across its extensive and multidisciplinary structure, the book advances a clear and provocative thesis:
- Witchcraft belief is based on causal error and misinterpretation of reality
- It lacks mechanism, evidence, and predictive power
- It is sustained by psychological bias, cultural reinforcement, and economic incentives
- It often results in violence, trauma, and systemic injustice
The work introduces the concept of conditional causality, drawn from Critical Synthetic Realism, as a framework for understanding how events actually occur—and why occult explanations fail.
Witchcraft as a Global Human Rights Crisis
Far from being confined to any one region, the book demonstrates that witchcraft belief is a global phenomenon, appearing in Africa, Latin America, Asia, and even in modern Western contexts.
It exposes how such beliefs:
- Fuel violence and persecution
- Undermine healthcare and education
- Distort religious practice and theology
- Create economies of fear that exploit vulnerable populations
The author calls for a global movement toward causal literacy, theological clarity, and institutional reform, including legal frameworks to protect victims of accusation.
A Vision for Liberation and Human Flourishing
At its core, Encountering Witchcraft is not only a critique—it is a call to liberation. The book argues that:
- Truth must replace fear
- Reason must guide belief
- Faith must be freed from superstition
- Human dignity must be protected from accusation and violence
As Professor Asongu writes, witchcraft belief “kills… justifies neglect… and transforms ignorance into moral certainty” —a reality this work seeks to expose and overcome.
Availability
Encountering Witchcraft: Causality, Fear, and Violence in the Modern World is now available through the publisher: https://www.generis-publishing.com/book.php?title=encountering-witchcraft-3279
Additional works by the author, including Critical Synthetic Realism, can be accessed at: https://asongubooks.com/books/
About the Author
Januarius Asongu is an award-winning philosopher, scholar, and institutional leader whose work spans philosophy, psychology, theology, ethics, and global development. He is the originator of Critical Synthetic Realism and a leading voice in contemporary efforts to address epistemic, moral, and societal crises through integrated philosophical frameworks.
Media Contact
For interviews, speaking engagements, or review copies, please contact:
Professor Januarius Jingwa Asongu
Email: asongu2@gmail.com