From Here To Hogwarts

The social relations, societal structures and existential conundrums in the world of Harry Potter novels reflect our own. When the authoritarianism of Hogwarts falls upon Harry, it is an echo of disciplinary practices in real-world high schools. The economic inequities of the wizarding world mirror those of modern societies. The art, literature and mass media of wizard society reveal our deep-rooted fears. Harry's world is our world. This collection presents new essays by contributors across a range of disciplines, bringing fresh perspectives on one of the most influential texts in modern history.

The social relations, societal structures and existential conundrums in the world of Harry Potter novels reflect our own. When the authoritarianism of Hogwarts falls upon Harry, it is an echo of disciplinary practices in real-world high schools. The economic inequities of the wizarding world mirror those of modern societies. The art, literature and mass media of wizard society reveal our deep-rooted fears. Harry's world is our world. This collection presents new essays by contributors across a range of disciplines, bringing fresh perspectives on one of the most influential texts in modern history.

Before she was a renowned children's author, J.K. Rowling was an educator. Her bestselling series, Harry Potter, places education at the forefront, focusing not only on Harry, Ron, and Hermione's adventures but also on their magical education. This multi-author collection shines a light on the central role of education within the Harry Potter series, exploring the pedagogical possibilities of using Harry Potter to enhance teaching effectiveness. Authors examine topics related to environments for learning, approaches to teaching and learning, and the role of mentorship. Created for scholars, teachers, and fans alike, this collection provides an entry into pedagogical theories and offers critical perspectives on the quality of Hogwarts education--from exemplary to abusive and every approach in between. Hogwarts provides many lessons for educators, both magical and muggle alike.

Cultural Politics in Harry Potter: Life, Death and the Politics of Fear is the first book-length analysis of topics, such as death, fear and biopolitics in J.K. Rowling’s work from controversial and interdisciplinary perspectives. This collection brings together recent theoretical and applied cultural studies and focuses on three key areas of inquiry: (1) wizarding biopolitics and intersected discourses; (2) anxiety, death, resilience and trauma; and (3) the politics of fear and postmodern transformations. As such, this book: provides a comprehensive overview of national and gender discourses, as well as the transiting bodies in-between, in relation to the Harry Potter books series and related multimedia franchise; situates the transformative power of death within the fandom, transmedia and film depictions of the Potterverse and critically deconstructs the processes of subjectivation and legitimation of death and fear; examines the strategies and mechanisms through which cultural and political processes are managed, as well as reminding us how fiction and reality intersect at junctions, such as terrorism, homonationalism, materialism, capitalism, posthumanism and technology. Exploring precisely what is cultural about wizarding politics, and what is political about culture, this book is key reading for students of contemporary literature, media and culture, as well as anyone with an interest in the fictional universe and wizarding world of Harry Potter.

Many scholars recognize the importance of Harry Potter as a vehicle for discussions about society—from race relations and gender studies to economic, political, religious and educational applications of the texts. This interdisciplinary collection of new essays brings to the forefront a critique of modern Western society, using Harry’s world as a mirror to our own. Covering issues surrounding parenting and family relations, social class, life and death, the link between identity and morality and even the risks of time travel, this collection provides many jumping-off points for scholars and nonscholars alike to spark discussions about both Harry’s world and our own.

The experience of growing up in the U.S. is shaped by many forces. Relationships with parents and teachers are deeply personal and definitive. Social and economic contexts are broader and harder to quantify. Key individuals in public life have also had a marked impact on American childhood. These 18 new essays examine the influence of pivotal figures in the culture of 20th and 21st century childhood and child-rearing, from Benjamin Spock and Walt Disney to Ruth Handler, Barbie's inventor, and Ernest Thompson Seton, founder of the Boy Scouts of America.

 Transmediation--the telling of a single story across multiple media--is a relatively new phenomenon. While there have been adaptations (books to films, for example) for more than a century, modern technology and media consumption have expanded the scope of trans-mediating practices. Nowhere are these more evident than within the Harry Potter universe, where a coherent world and narrative are iterated across books, films, video games, fan fiction, art, music and more. Curated by a leading Harry Potter scholar, this collection of new essays explores the range of Potter texts across a variety of media.

As the publishing sensation of the last half-century, Harry Potter dominates early education in politics. Children, tweens, teens, and adults love it; and most students come to college knowing at least some of it. This dark fantasy analyzes politics in strikingly practical and institutional ways. Like ancient Sophists, modern Machiavellians, and postmodern Nietzscheans, the Potter books treat politics as dark arts and our defenses against them. The Potter saga overflows with drama, humor, and insight into ours as dark times of terrible troubles. These reach from racism, sexism, and specism to fascism, terrorism, autocracy, and worse. Harry and his friends respond with detailed, entertaining takes on many ideologies, movements, and styles of current politics.Defenses Against the Dark Arts argues that Potter performances of magic show us how and why to leap into political action. This includes the high politics of governments and elections, and especially the everyday politics of families, schools, businesses, media, and popular cultures. It explores Potter versions of idealism, realism, feminism, and environmentalism. It clarifies Potter accounts of bureaucracy, nationalism, and patronage. And it analyzes Potter resistance through existentialism and anarchism. The emphasis is on learning to face and defend against dark arts in dark times.