Potterversity

13/08/2024

On this episode, we dive right into a key question in the Potter fandom with our discussion of Claire Dederer's book, Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma, joined by our guest, the amazing Lorrie Kim! How should we understand and interact with the art produced by very flawed human beings?

"Potterversity" Episode 54: "Monsters and the Monstrous" - Potterversity

11/07/2024

Our July episode of Potterversity is up! We talk with Dr. Mitchell Parks about connections between Harry Potter and Aeneas, and how both serve as cultural foundational texts. Lots of unexpected treasures in this one!

"Potterversity" Episode 53: "Harry, Aeneas, and the Foundational Text" - Potterversity

11/06/2024

Our latest podcast episode features Dr. Lana Whited, the first editor of a Harry Potter anthology, who has just edited another one some 20 years later, The Ivory Tower, Harry Potter, and Beyond. Some things in Potter scholarship have very definitely changed, but some have remained consistent. Join us for a frank, wide-ranging discussion about the field, and also some great individual essays whose authors will be featured on later episodes.

"Potterversity" Episode 52: "The Ivory Tower, Harry Potter, and Beyond" - Potterversity

14/05/2024

If you're like us, when you hear those gently discordant, whimsical tones, you are transported into the Potterverse. Join us as we talk with Dr. Dan White about how Harry Potter music achieves this auditory magic, the changes various composers made, and why it all matters.

"Potterversity" Episode 51: "Music and Fantasy in the 'Harry Potter' Franchise" - Potterversity

12/04/2024

We are so pleased to present you the last of our podcast conversations based on the Potterversity book, "Teaching, the Hogwarts Way," with amazing educators Brent Satterly and M'Balia Thomas. This episode is for everyone! But for all the teachers out there: you especially will thoroughly enjoy this conversation. Balm to a teacher's soul!

"Potterversity" Episode 50: "Teaching, the Hogwarts Way" - Potterversity

12/03/2024

Our Potterversity episode to start off the month is on "Playing Potter"--looking at sports and games in the series and for use in classrooms--with guests Laurie Beckoff (so you can count on connections to medieval games!) and Tison Pugh. Enjoy!

"Potterversity" Episode 49: "Playing Potter" - Potterversity

27/02/2024

How does the wizarding world deal with those who are "other"? From Muggles to werewolves, house-elves, and giants, we talk about the challenges of relating to others, not just in the wizarding world but in our own, on this episode of Potterversity. Our guests are Mark-Anthony Lewis and Travis Prinzi who are talking about their chapters in the Potterversity book. Join us for this thought-provoking, relevant, and challenging conversation.

"Potterversity" Episode 48: "Self and Others" - Potterversity

16/02/2024

Check out this podcast about three chapters in the Potterversity book that explore some of our favorite characters! Emma Nicholson reveals the true Sirius Black in a fascinating deep dive; Louise Freeman shows how Molly and Ginny Weasley represent female archetypes; and Katy McDaniel ponders whether Arthur Weasley's bewitching of the Ford Anglia is an act of cultural appropriation.

"Potterversity" Episode 47: "A Question of Character" - Potterversity

23/01/2024

Katy, Emily, and Laurie stepped out of the Potterverse to answer some really tricky trivia questions about Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Hang out with us on Brian Sheehan's totally fun podcast . . . and see if you can do better than we did! (We rocked it!)

00:35:29 - -Happy 2024! We’re ringing in the New Year with some comedy classics, so get ready for some Monty Python And The Holy Grail trivia coming your way!-…

22/01/2024

Delighted to release the second in our Potterversity book-related podcasts. This time Emily Strand and Lana Whited are the guests, talking about their chapters about Christmas in the Harry Potter series and the significance of the beasts in the Fantastic Beasts films. Ancient Magic, indeed.

"Potterversity" Episode 46: "Ancient Magic" - Potterversity

10/01/2024

Excited to release the first of our Potterversity conversations based on our new book! First up, Bea Groves and Amy Sturgis talk about "Occult Knowledge": How Harry Potter borrows from Dracula and participates in the growing genre of Dark Academia. Super smart guests, deep topics! Check it out.

"Potterversity" Episode 45: "Occult Knowledge" - Potterversity

12/12/2023

Looking to the stars this season? Learn more about astronomy and Harry Potter in the latest Potterversity podcast episode, with guest astronomer Jane Bright. You might think you know all there is to know about this subject . . . but you do not!

"Potterversity" Episode 44: "The Stars Are Bright" - Potterversity

14/11/2023

Our lastest episode was recorded live from the Harry Potter Academic Conference at Chestnut Hill College. We talk about the conference and latest cool trends in Potter scholarship, and we also hear from some of the authors featured in the new Potterversity book! This was a joyful conversation—join us!

"Potterversity" Episode 43: "Live! From the Chestnut Hill Harry Potter Academic Conference 2023" - Potterversity

10/11/2023

Potterversity Listeners: We are proud to announce that *Potterversity: Essays Exploring the World of Harry Potter,* an anthology of Potter scholarship, is now available from McFarland Publishers! Read essays from top scholars and notable Potterversity guests, and then read excerpts from the conversations we had with them on soon-to-be-released podcasts. This one is for you. :)

Potterversity Essays Exploring the World of Harry Potter Edited by Kathryn N. McDaniel and Emily Strand 978-1-4766-9053-7 978-1-4766-5127-9

06/11/2023

Potterversity Listeners! Check out the Positive Disintegration podcast! On this particular episode, Emily and Katy talk with Emma Nicholson and Chris Wells about how the Harry Potter characters illustrate positive disintegration. Lots of interesting interpretation here that you will find illuminating.

Listen now (65 min) | In episode 47, Chris and Emma talked with Katy McDaniel and Emily Strand from the Potterversity podcast. Katy is a professor of history at Marietta College, and Emily is a professor of religious studies at Mt. Carmel College of Nursing. Emma is the technical director for Potter...

09/10/2023

Fresh off Banned Books Week, Episode 42 is all about censorship and restricted reading at Hogwarts and in Muggle schools and libraries across the US. Katy and Emily chat amongst themselves this time, discussing what motivates book banning in the Muggle and wizarding worlds, why trying to control what children read and therefore think usually isn't effective, and how tough topics in literature can be approached and taught.

"Potterversity" Episode 42: "Thoughts on Book Banning for Wizards and Muggles Alike" - Potterversity

18/09/2023

The September Potterversity episode is up! Dementors, and Death-Eaters, and Inferi: Oh my! We talked with Dr. Jeff Ambrose about Harry Potter as horror fiction and the impact of trauma on characters and the series as a whole. A really interesting angle on the stories that we think you'll enjoy. Have a listen!

"Potterversity" Episode 41: "Terror and Trauma" - Potterversity

13/09/2023

This month's episode will be out next Monday. In the meantime, our next Harry Potter academic read is Tison Pugh's "Harry Potter and Beyond" which looks at the series through the lens of various genres. Hear from Tison on Episode 6: https://audioboom.com/posts/7817083-potterversity-episode-6-the-hero-with-a-thousand-genres

05/09/2023

With the start of the school year upon us and our book coming soon, it’s the perfect time to share highlights from our Harry Potter academic booklist! First up, one of the earliest anthologies, “The Ivory Tower and Harry Potter,” edited by Lana Whited (2002). Filled with interdisciplinary analysis from a range of perspectives, this book offered one of the first critical academic examinations of the series. A second volume is due out this year, with chapters by our hosts and producer.

Stay tuned for more must-reads in Potter scholarship, and tell us your favorites!

28/08/2023

Didn't make it to LeakyCon earlier this month? Never fear! Our bonus episode this month was recorded LIVE at LeakyCon in Chicago earlier this month! We talk about directions in Harry Potter scholarship, how to manage the controversy with the author, and the flow of fan and authorial creativity, among other topics. Great comments from our audience members, too! Awesome to see my Potterversity pals, Emily Strand and Laurie Beckoff. ❤

"Potterversity" Episode 40: "Live from LeakyCon" - Potterversity

16/08/2023

Ever tried (or wanted to try) a cockroach cluster? How about butterbeer? Join us on our latest episode for a conversation with Emma Nicholson and Louise Freeman about food in the wizarding world (part 2). You'll hear about these treats and others, including the Norse mythology links to wizard food. We have some recipes to share, too! Have you made any wizarding world food? Share in the comments!

"Potterversity" Episode 39: "Considering Cockroach Clusters: Food in the Wizarding World - Part Two" - Potterversity

04/08/2023

Great discussion and insight at our LeakyCon panel about Harry Potter scholarship, with a preview of our book! Stay tuned to hear the conversation in an upcoming episode.

02/08/2023

We hopped over to The Restricted Section podcast to record a conversation about Chapter 3 from Half-Blood Prince, "Will and Won't." So much to say about that chapter! Hope you all will check it out. :)

In which Dumbledore comes to fetch Harry from the Dursleys and finally gives them a piece of his mind. Support the SAG-AFTRA strike! https://www.sagaftrastrike.org/ Email us at [email protected] to tell us what you thought of Will and Won't or even what you think of us! We’d love to r...

13/07/2023

There's a nosy Mrs. Norris in both Mansfield Park and Harry Potter. Surprised to hear that Jane Austen's work and the Harry Potter novels have common elements? We have lots to share on this topic--including how networks of news and gossip operate in both--in our latest episode with the always fascinating Dr. Beatrice Groves. Give it a listen!

"Potterversity" Episode 38: "Jane Austen in the Wizarding World" - Potterversity

02/07/2023

Potterversity is coming to LeakyCon Chicago! Join us on Friday, August 4, for a live recording!

More details here: https://sites.grenadine.co/sites/mischief/en/leakycon-2023/schedule/26701/Potterversity:%20A%20Potter%20Studies%20Podcast%20LIVE!

16/06/2023

How many listens??? Took a look at our stats today and realized we had surpassed 100k! Thank you so much to our listeners for diving into the wizarding world with us over 101,000 times!

12/06/2023

Our latest Potterversity episode is about "Magical Mental Health" with the fascinating Nishi Ravi. She will make you think differently about some key moments in the Potter series, and consider how the books can serve as bibliotherapy!

"Potterversity" Episode 37: "Magical Mental Health" - Potterversity

19/05/2023

Breaking News! The Potterversity Podcast has produced a book of wonderful essays by Harry Potter scholars across the world, and it is now available for pre-order! (Due out in September.) We'll be releasing the accompanying podcasts once the book is available. Check it out!

Potterversity Essays Exploring the World of Harry Potter Edited by Kathryn N. McDaniel and Emily Strand 978-1-4766-9053-7 978-1-4766-5127-9

09/05/2023

Emily and Katy talk Harry Potter and Star Wars on the latest episode! You'll also hear our thoughts on the proposed Potter TV series.

"Potterversity" Episode 36: "Galactic Harry and the Intersecting Fandoms" - Potterversity

13/04/2023

In the spirit of our latest Potterversity episode, what's your favorite moment of resistance in the Harry Potter series? Post in the comments!