A distinct Paganism: The Contemporary Pagan revival in Montreal at the turn of the millennium

Abstract

Contemporary Paganism, including Wicca, is a new religious movement that has taken root in the worldwide Anglophone diaspora, including Canada. Due to the fact that the majority of the population within Quebec is Francophone, several researchers of Paganism have cast doubts as to whether the Pagan movement could ever take root in the province. This research is an ethnographic study of Paganism in Montreal, Quebec's largest city and sole metropolis, using participant-observation, survey questionnaires, and one-on-one interviews in both English and French. This research aims to determine whether there are any significant differences between Anglophone and Francophone Pagans in Montreal, the degree to which Quebec culture has influenced the development of the religion within the province, and how the unique and distinct forms of Paganism in Quebec challenge the hegemony of the American model of Paganism. This research also explores the ways the development of a Pagan identity can be likened to the process of ethnogenesis.