Reading, Writing, Rowling

Featuring more of our book contributors, this episode is about various members of Harry's found family. Katy, technical director Emma Nicholson, and Louise Freeman (Mary Baldwin University) discuss their chapters focused on character analysis: "Arthur Weasley and the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts," "Padfoot Revelio! The Life and Love of Sirius Black," and "The Weasley Witches: From Snitches to Stitches to 'Not-My-Daughter-You-Bitches'" (possibly the best title in the volume). Emma was drawn to Sirius for his authenticity and passion but also because of his flaws that she feels enrich his character. Katy saw something of a dark underbelly to Arthur's seemingly charming Muggle obsession, leading her to wonder if there are hints of colonialism and cultural appropriation. Louise considered how Molly and Ginny do or don't fit into female archetypes, particularly as Ginny changes over the course of the series. All of these characters are complex and sometimes misunderstood. We talk about the impact each has on Harr

The next topic from our book up for discussion is old magic steeped in myth and tradition. Katy talks with co-host and co-editor Emily Strand and contributor Lana Whited (Ferrum College) about their chapters "The Real Magic of Christmas in Harry Potter" and "Here Be Dragons and Phoenixes: A Thematic Direction for the Fantastic Beasts Series." Emily looks at the theological roots of magic and Christmas as a time for darkness turning to light - and thus an appropriate season for Harry to have significant experiences where he learns new information, often about the past. Lana discusses the origins of magical creatures in Asian mythology that hold deep significance in both The Crimes of Grindelwald and The Secrets of Dumbledore, which explore the past through prophecy and family history. The wizarding world has a sense of being frozen in time, and journeys into magical worlds often feel like journeys into the past. Part of that is the lack of modern Muggle technology that comes not only from moving into the pas

We're starting off the companion episodes to our new book with the dark side of Harry Potter. Dr. Beatrice Groves (Oxford University and Bathilda's Notebook) and Dr. Amy Strugis (Lenoir-Rhyne University and Signum University) join us to discuss their chapters "Good Men and Monsters: The Influence of Bram Stoker's Dracula on Harry Potter" and "Dark Arts and Secret Histories: Investigating Dark Academia." They talk about what drew them to the more disturbing and Gothic aspects of the series. Amy explains the difference between the Dark Academia aesthetic and the literary genre. The latter generally involves a school or university setting, elements of mystery and death, concern with the past, and social critique, especially of power dynamics that exist in the wider world and are concentrated in an academic institution - all of which are present in Potter. It might seem like heavy material for young readers, but adolescents can experience bullying, injustice, and grief and can relate to and learn from fiction.

Venture to infinity and beyond for a look at astronomy in the wizarding world. We're joined by Jane Bright, a PhD candidate in astronomy and astrophysics at the University of Arizona. Astronomy is the one subject wizards and Muggles seem to have in common. Why is it important enough to be a required subject at Hogwarts, and how is it different from the astrology that is part of Divination? Jane has some theories regarding the historical split between disciplines and the usefulness of astronomical knowledge in ritual magic. As a bonus, wizards may actually be learning some math! Astronomy is present in the wizarding world outside of the classroom as well. Dumbledore's watch, for instance, shows the movements of stars and planets, and a room in the Department of Mysteries appears to be devoted to the study of space. Magical telescopes seem old-fashioned, but wizards must be keeping up with Muggle scientific advances if they know about planets and phenomena that were discovered after wizards went into hiding.

On this episode, we dish about this year’s Harry Potter Academic Conference and preview our new book, Potterversity: Essays Exploring the World of Harry Potter (McFarland). Katy and Emily welcome Potterversity producer Laurie Beckoff and technical editor Emma Nicholson, as well as Louise Freeman, Mark-Anthony Lewis, and Lana Whited to talk about HPACs past and present. This year’s virtual conference allowed people from all over the world to come together, and we included the comments of other conference attendees in the webinar chat. We reminisce about our first experiences at the conference. Looking back helps us to see the evolution of Potter Studies through the last dozen years. What keeps us coming to the conference? Wonderful discussions, inspiration for new ideas, deep dives into the Potter stories, like-minded people, constructive argument and critique, and a space in which Harry Potter is taken seriously. There is always something new to say and fresh perspectives on the series, as well as the movie

In honor of Banned Books Week, this episode explores the causes and effects of book banning in the Muggle and wizarding worlds. Harry Potter is one of the most challenged works of the 21st century, frequently appearing on the American Library Association's list documenting book bans around the country. It has long been accused of inspiring interest in the occult and encouraging children to literally perform magic but has also been criticized for featuring characters who break rules, as discussed on our episode about resistance. In a time of social change and upheaval, there has been an increased movement to present a sanitized version of history and combat more progressive ideas in literature. Behind many book bans is the desire to control what children read and thus how they think and behave. But even books that present dangerous ideas are worth discussing rather than silencing, and readers can examine them critically. How does the wizarding world approach access to knowledge? The Restricted Section keeps

Harry Potter may not technically be considered a work of horror, but there are plenty of horrifying aspects to explore in this episode. Katy and Emily speak with Dr. Jeff Ambrose about the scariest parts of the series and the lasting effects horrific events have on characters (and readers and viewers). The series has its fair share of monsters, torture, murder, and soul-sucking, with Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire bringing in such terrors as Death Eaters, Unforgivable Curses, and a gruesome graveyard resurrection. Horror as a genre traffics in trauma, which is bound to result from the characters' experiences. Emotion is closely tied to magic in the Potter, so manifestations of trauma in the series come in the form of Thestrals, Dementors, and boggarts but also in Harry's role as a Horcrux, literally carrying past trauma within him, and in what Harry represents to Snape. While trauma can certainly be tied to personal identity, Jeff disagrees with the idea that it erodes characters' personalities, point

Join us for a special episode recorded live from LeakyCon Chicago! Katy, Emily, and producer Laurie give LeakyCon attendees an overview of the current state of Potter studies, including areas of interest, such as social justice, responses to the author and how authorship does or does not affect our reading, and where we see the field going. We also provide a preview of our upcoming companion book, available later this year from McFarland, and consider the symbiotic relationship between scholarship and fandom. We're particularly interested in how scholarship has benefited from fan expertise and how we can use scholarship to open up the text to analysis rather than close it off with a consensus, especially in an age of internet hot-take culture. Potter's portrayals of elves and goblins may be uncomfortable, but there are many possible interpretations, some of which have received quite thorough academic attention. J.R.R. Tolkien's thoughts on allegory versus applicability are helpful in thinking about intentio

Return with us to the realm of refreshment in the wizarding world! Following up on Episode 29, Katy and Emily continue our conversation about the food foundations of Harry’s magical universe, joined by guests Louise Freeman and Emma Nicholson. Australian Emma shares her different interpretation of wizarding foods based on her cultural heritage, including her expectations about butterbeer (why so sweet, America?). We ponder whether wizard butterbeer might have alcoholic content and consider the role of alcoholic beverages in the series, including firewhiskey and (perhaps) Felix Felicis. On the subject of beverages, we explore the cultural and symbolic significance of tea, tea shops, and tea leaf reading, as well as pumpkin juice. Emma also shares with us her thoughts on foods associated with Norse mythology, like mead, and how this opens up associations between characters and specific Norse gods (Dumbledore and Odin, Hagrid and Thor). She points out connections between food abundance and Norse myths, and we

Explore connections between the works of Jane Austen and Harry Potter. Katy and Emily compare Austen's novels to the Potter series with Dr. Beatrice Groves (Trinity College, Oxford University), author of Literary Allusion in Harry Potter and columnist at Bathilda's Notebook. Bea first noticed a connection when she realized that Filch's cat shared a name with Mrs. Norris from Mansfield Park, and the similarities only continue from there. The hero serves as a focalizing point for the narrative of Austen's books and the Potter books, using a third-person limited perspective that gives the reader a sense of having an omniscient view even though just one character's point of view is expressed. Emma seems to bear the strongest similarity to Potter in this sense. Austen and Potter also both explore riddles and the act of interpreting them, gossip and its pitfalls, and fame or notoriety. Bea discusses her chapter in the recent anthology Open at the Close about communities of interpretation in Austen's works and Ha

Unpack mental health in the wizarding world and how Harry Potter can serve as bibliotherapy for readers. For insight into these topics, Katy and Emily talk to Nishi Ravi, a psychotherapist pursuing a PhD in Counseling Psychology at Marquette University. She recalls how reading Harry Potter as a preteen and teenager made her feel seen at a formative age - a common experience for many young readers. Who deals well with trauma in the wizarding world, and who struggles? Although there is no singular definition of what constitutes trauma, Nishi generally thinks that people who can understand they're not responsible for their trauma but that they are responsible for their healing tend to be able to manage it better. Neville seems to be a good example as someone who can maintain social relationships, use his trauma as a moral foundation, and learn to stand up for himself. The antithesis is Snape, who has a sense of purpose from his trauma but hasn't found a way to cope and process, fails to forge interpersonal rel

Fresh off of May the 4th, Emily and Katy talk about their love of and academic interest in Harry Potter alongside another fandom they hold dear: Star Wars. Emily came to Star Wars relatively recently, after the birth of her son and a class at Signum University taught by Amy Sturgis, but Harry Potter was a gateway for her into speculative fiction and imaginative literature. Falling into fandom can be like learning a language - it becomes easier to understand others in the same group once you've mastered one. Katy and Emily are not only fans but aca-fans with scholarly interests in the properties they enjoy. Fans have long noticed common threads shared by Harry Potter and Star Wars, and some of them hold academic appeal. Emily likes the clearly articulated sense of right and wrong in both series but also the fact that they don't shy away from exploring the complexities of morality. Soul triptychs, in which characters represent different aspects of humanity working together, are also present in both. Potter an

Find out how breaking the rules leads to seeking justice in the wizarding world - and our own. An early critique of the Harry Potter series complained that Harry, Hermione, and Ron often break the rules and don’t always get in trouble for it. In this episode, Katy and Emily talk with Dr. Beth Sutton-Ramspeck about how seeing the limitations of rules and having the courage to break them prepares the series’ characters for political resistance. Beth’s new book, Harry Potter and Resistance (Routledge 2023), fully explores these issues. Beth explains how she developed the idea behind her book, how it relates to her earlier work on “literary housekeeping,” and how Harry Potter helped her move beyond scholarly burnout. We discuss concepts of “dirt” and “cleanliness” in the book series, and how they connect to the desire to clean up society and politics. The Potter books present a complex understanding of the value or dangers of that which is termed dirty or impure. Cultural rules determine what counts as dirty or

We gotta get back to Hogwarts in this episode, where we chat about MuggletNet's Ultimate Unofficial Harry Potter Hogwarts Handbook. Katy and Emily are joined by Potterversity producer Laurie Beckoff and Marissa Osman, two of the authors of the latest release in MuggleNet's Unofficial Reference Library. Following a spellbook, character compendium, and bestiary, this book branches out beyond lists to chronicle every known detail about the wizarding world's most famous school, from history to hallways to inhabitants. Hear about the research, writing, and editorial process that went into such a massive undertaking. Laurie and Marissa talk about their approach and how their academic backgrounds came in handy. We discuss the difficulty of determining what counts as canon and how to reconcile information from the books, films, video games, interviews, tweets, and Pottermore. Even within the seven novels, Hogwarts is full of contradictions and mysteries - mistakes or magic? Hogwarts feels like home to so many read

Whether it’s love for Hogwarts or love at Hogwarts, this episode will satisfy your wizard school Valentine’s cravings. What theme is more central to the Harry Potter series than love? On this special interactive episode, Emily and Katy open up their podcast to fans and listeners to talk all about love at Hogwarts. Fielding questions and comments from the webinar chat, Emily and Katy consider the various kinds of love relationships at Hogwarts, Harry Potter valentines gone wrong, and love for the famous British school of witchcraft and wizardry itself. We discuss the romantic relationships in the series - where they seem transgressive and where they seem traditional (hello, epilogue!) - and ponder our favorite noncanonical pairings. School spirit is also an expression of love, so we talk about how we show school spirit and what’s unique about Hogwarts that attracts not only fascination but also loyalty. Thanks to all the listeners who joined us and helped create this fantastic conversation! What are your fa

This episode grapples with two omnipresent themes in Harry Potter: death and immortality. Although the series has sometimes been deemed too dark for children, death can happen to anyone at any time, making it not purely an adult theme but something kids should also learn to encounter. Katy and Emily are joined by Dr. John Anthony Dunne, Associate Professor of New Testament and Director of the Doctor of Ministry program at Bethel Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, and co-host of The Two Cities podcast, to explore the meaning of death and approaches to it in Harry Potter. John disagrees with the popular fan theory, approved by the author, that Dumbledore plays the role of Death from “The Tale of the Three Brothers.” Voldemort seems much more closely tied to Death and Dumbledore to the Resurrection Stone. We discuss the connection between Death Eaters and ancient religious conceptions of death, in which death is something that consumes. John argues that Harry Potter is an anti-transhumanist text. Transhumanism

For the second part of our discussion about the 2022 Harry Potter Academic Conference, we discuss current themes in Potter scholarship, including the special section on the transgender community. Katy and Emily continue their conversation with conference presenters and attendees Laurie Beckoff, Lauren Camacci, Louise Freeman, and Lana Whited. After talking about favorite presentations in the first half, we turn to overall themes we noticed throughout the conference. Lana sees difference and reaction to it as a major topic, reflected in the interdisciplinary nature of the conference, which included political, sociological, and psychological approaches. Social justice and critical reading have been at the forefront of Potter studies in recent years, featured in Christine Schott’s talk on house-elves and Julye Bidmead and Emma Brandel’s presentation on creating a critical engagement guide to reading the series. Lana has observed a lack of attention paid to J.K. Rowling’s works for both adults (Cormoran Strike)

Join us as we reflect on one of our favorite annual events, the 2022 Harry Potter Academic Conference at Chestnut Hill College. Katy and Emily talk with attendees and presenters from the 11th annual HPAC: Laurie Beckoff, Lauren Camacci, Louise Freeman, and Lana Whited. The conference was held entirely in person until 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic necessitated moving the conference online. In 2021, the organizers decided to try a hybrid approach, which continued this year. We discuss the benefits and drawbacks of that style, which allows presenters and attendees to join from all over the world and enables active discussion during presentations but can bring technical difficulties and make it difficult to engage with people attending in a different manner. As usual, this year’s conference offered a huge variety of subjects, spanning literature, psychology, religion, education, and more. The first part of our chat focuses on some of our favorite talks. Lana, who usually connects intellectually with papers,

It’s the holiday season, so it’s time for the magic of food on this month’s episode. Food has a special role at this time of year . . . and in the Harry Potter series. Katy, Emily, and Louise Freeman talk about the food of the wizarding world: pumpkin pasties, cockroach clusters, butterbeer, cauldron cakes, and all things wizard food. We look at how food operates as a metaphor and how it develops mood and setting in the series. In the Harry Potter books, food serves important purposes in providing social opportunities for the magical community. Food is conspicuous in the Potter stories, even from the very first chapters. It’s used for humor, world-building, and character-building across the series. The quality of food available to Harry often mirrors the quality of his life at various moments, representing alternately deprivation or abundance. Food fellowship also pervades the series, from Harry and Ron’s first meeting on the Hogwarts Express to Weasley family dinners and Hogwarts feasts. Ron particularly

For all its growth into a global media franchise, Harry Potter is first and foremost a work of literature. Katy and Emily talk to Dr. Cecilia Konchar Farr, Professor of English and Dean of the College of Liberal and Creative Arts at West Liberty University and editor of the recent anthology Open at the Close: Literary Essays on Harry Potter. For all the scholarship the series has generated, many of the literary qualities of the books are frequently overlooked while attention is instead paid to the cultural phenomenon surrounding them. The idea for Open at the Close germinated at the Harry Potter Academic Conference at Chestnut Hill College, where the series is examined from a wide variety of fields and perspectives. Cecilia discusses her chapter, co-written with Amy Mars, which uses digital humanities techniques to analyze the changing language throughout the series. Emily talks about her own chapter in the book, which also tackles the language of the series, albeit in a different way, asking what constitut