Books and Articles
"Satanic Panic" and the Occult
D&D was one of many pop culture elements victimized by the 1980's "Satanic Panic." This time period is defined by an abundance of cases and conspiracy theories involving satanic ritual abuse that spread across the country. The Satanic Panic addressed very real issues such as child abuse and violence, but also condemned activities such as Dungeons & Dragons. The game was blamed for inappropriate behaviors and even for the deaths of young people like Irving Lee Pulling and James Dallas Egbert III. The resulting conspiracy theories lead to the formation of anti-D&D groups such as B.A.D.D: Bothered About Dungeons & Dragons. Due to the Satanic Panic, D&D became highly controversial among some groups in the 1980's to the 1990's. However, the game persevered as an iconic "geek" staple, and is nearing mainstream in contemporary culture.
Image: BADD via Jon Peterson for Polygon
For more general information about the Satanic Panic, one might utilize a combination of search terms including "Satan," "dungeons and dragons," "Christianity," and "satanic panic" in history databases such as Historical Abstracts with Full Text.
One might also look for Newspaper sources from this time period, since the Satanic Panic was deeply rooted in the media. For this kind of research, use newspaper databases like Gale OneFile News. Utilize similar search terms, but pay attention to the date. The Satanic Panic lasted through the 1980's into the 1990's, so use this time frame in your advanced search.
Also note that the term "Satanic Panic" is not the only term used to define this time period.
Other Important Time Periods
1974- The publication date of the original Dungeons & Dragons game
2014- The publication date of the most recent edition (fifth) Dungeons & Dragons game
Consider utilizing these time periods in your searches as well, especially when searching for primary source news documents.
- Gale OneFile: News
Find full-text newspaper articles. Search by title, headline, date, author, newspaper section, or other fields. Access to more than 2,300 major U.S. regional, national, and local newspapers, as well as leading titles from around the world. It also includes thousands of images, radio and TV broadcasts and transcripts.
- Historical Abstracts with Full Text
Find full-text, indexed, and abstracted articles covering world history (excluding the United States and Canada) from the 15th century to the present. It includes hundreds of history journals and books, plus useful features such as the ability to search by time period.
