Potterversity: A Potter Studies Podcast

Potterversity

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In the hallowed halls of Potterversity, hosts Katy McDaniel (Marietta College) and Emily Strand (Ohio Dominican University) explore the Harry Potter series and wider Wizarding World from a critical academic perspective with scholars from a variety of fields, finding new ways to read and opening new doors.

3 days ago

Potterversity Episode 73: Harry Potter in Russia

Harry Potter is a global phenomenon - but how has it been received in Russia? Katy and Emily are joined Dr. Eliot Borenstein, professor of Russian and Slavic studies at New York University, to discuss his recent book The Politics of Fantasy: Magic, Children's Literature, and Fandom in Putin's Russia. Eliot tells us about how Harry Potter came into Russian culture, the initial response, and why it became such a cultural touchpoint within the country. The series gained popularity within Russia, but also raised concerns and a level of moral panic. We consider Russian fan engagement, how the experiences of fans as Russians shape the content they produce, and what that tells us about Russia and the tensions within Russian culture in the 21st century. Russian fans have also used the vocabulary and imagery of the series to respond to Vladimir Putin and his regime. The conclusion of Eliot's book is titled "The Cruel Optimism of the Wizarding World" - what does that mean in the context of not only Russia but a global rise in totalitarian capitalism? Does fantasy literature like Harry Potter - and its transmedia cultural movement - have the power to liberate, or to help people liberate themselves?
11 May

Potterversity Episode 72: Harry Potter and Identity

Why is it important to read Harry Potter critically? Katy and Emily talk about bridging the academic and fan worlds with Dr. Julian Wamble, who teaches a course called Harry Potter and Social Identity at George Washington University. Julian's class allows students to approach complex political issues through the lens of Harry Potter, such as prison abolition based on Sirius Black's experience. When Julian started posting clips from his class online, he encountered enthusiastic discourse and debate. Hermione can be a controversial character, particularly considering her identity as a Muggle-born and her views on house-elves. The Weasleys, the Malfoys, and Severus Snape also inspire strong opinions. Julian engages with this passionate feedback in his podcast, Critical Magic Theory, for which he circulates surveys about different characters, asking provocative questions to get readers to think deeply about identity, power, and morality. Loving something doesn't mean we can't be critical of it, and Julian will explore this further in his upcoming book.
13 Apr

Potterversity Episode 71: Potter Meets Molesworth

We're going back to school, and specifically Latin class, on this episode. Dr. Mitchell Parks (Knox College) joins us once again to connect classical studies to Harry Potter, but this time, we're not looking as far back as ancient times. Inspired by Mitchell's presentation at the last Harry Potter Academic Conference, we're going to the 1950s to explore the satirical Molesworth books written by Geoffrey Willans and illustrated by Ronald Searle. These novels, narrated by St. Custards schoolboy Nigel Molesworth, parody the British school story genre and feature several names found in Harry Potter. We consider the influence Molesworth may have had on Potter, including its humor and portrayal of education. Mitchell is particularly interested in how the study of the ancient world and Latin is presented in the Molesworth books and how that reflects upon our reading of classical echoes in Potter. We think about traditionalism and imperialism in both texts via their use of Latin. Moving into modern times, we discuss parallels between methods of teaching Latin at these fictional schools and current debates around artificial intelligence in the classroom.
30 Mar

Potterversity Episode 70: Harry Potter and the Call for Papers

This special episode is a call to join us at our favorite event of the year - the Harry Potter Academic Conference! The 15th annual conference is back in person at Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia this October and accepting proposals until April 10. Katy and Emily are joined by conference board members Laurie Beckoff and Lauren Camacci to reminisce about past conferences, discuss what we're looking forward to in this landmark year, and encourage our listeners to consider submitting an abstract. If you've listened before, you've probably already heard us wax poetic about the value of this conference and critical analysis of the series in the current moment. We also talk about what kinds of topics are welcome, where you can find inspiration and sources, and why you should make it a priority to get to Philadelphia on October 23 and 24, 2026. Find more information on the conference and submit your abstract at harrypotterconference.com.
9 Mar

Potterversity Episode 69: Potter Gets Stranger

We're entering the Upside Down to compare Harry Potter and Stranger Things following the Netflix series's final season. Spoilers ahead - proceed with caution! Katy, Emily, and producer Laurie reflect on the end of Stranger Things and how the series as a whole, and its conclusion in particular, connect to Potter. Season 5 was released in three installments at the end of 2025 to mixed reviews and a multitude of Potter comparisons. We see a coming-of-age story with characters starting around the same age as new Hogwarts students, the highs and lows of friendship, teens working together to fight evil, a hidden world of magic intersecting with the mundane, and government corruption. Parallels between the villains Voldemort and Vecna were particularly strong this season as were those between their respective targets Harry and Will Byers as well as Ginny Weasley and Holly Wheeler. One common criticism of the season was that there was too much time spent on emotional sharing rather than action, but we see good reason for this when thinking about the role of emotion in magic in Potter, such as casting a Patronus or learning Occlumency. Like Potter, Stranger Things ended with an epilogue, and we consider what these flash-forwards tell us and what possibilities there may be (promising or not) for spinoffs. Finally, we respond to a recent New York Times editorial about Harry Potter's continuing relevance or lack thereof.
9 Feb

Potterversity Episode 68: When in Doubt, Go to the Library

We're heading to Hermione's favorite place in this episode: the library! Ian McLaughlin, an PhD student in English who also holds an MLIS, joins Katy and Emily to reflect on libraries and librarians in Harry Potter, following up on his recent presentations at the Harry Potter Academic Conference. Hogwarts librarian Madam Pince is portrayed as extremely strict and irritable, but is she unfairly maligned, and is she actually a good librarian? While books are portrayed as important in the series, theoretical knowledge is not sufficient, as demonstrated by the need to form Dumbledore's Army to learn practical defense skills when Umbridge only allows reading. Books aren't the form of media in the series - Ian compares the Mirror of Erised and two-way mirror to smartphones, which leads us to think about how wands function as technology. Back to librarians, we discuss the issues with censorship and limiting children's access to books, including Harry Potter. We also touch on yet another of Ian's HPAC presentations, exploring the significance of double-casting in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
12 Jan

Potterversity Episode 67: The Best Hope We Have

We're back with another episode recorded live at the 14th annual Harry Potter Academic Conference, which took place online in October 2025. Katy and Emily are joined by several conference regulars—producer Laurie Beckoff, John Anthony Dunne, Louise Freeman-Davis, Lorrie Kim, Mark-Anthony Lewis, and Mitchell Parks—to discuss the gradual encroachment of fascism in the Potter series in light of recent sociopolitical developments in the Muggle world, looking to the books to find messages of hope, solidarity, and resolve in our own dark times. First, we define "fascism," a word that is thrown around a lot these days, and look at its connection to nationalism. When do we first start to see "authoritarian creep" in the series, how does it progress, and what insights can we glean from the series that might help us identify and head off similar trends in our society? As dark and depressing as this conversation can be, solidarity and resistance in the face of oppression are an essential part of Harry Potter. How can fiction help us fight fascism in our own world? We can't wait to attend the 15th annual conference back in person at Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia. Hope to see you there! This episode was edited by Land Deer.
14/07/2025

Potterversity Episode 66: Back to Wizarding Business

Why is there a lack of service businesses in the wizarding world?Following up on our earlier episode about magical businesses, our technical director, Emma Nicholson, joins us to continue the conversation. Perhaps there aren't many businesses that provide services, as opposed to goods, to wizards because people with magical skills should be able to easily do household tasks for themselves. Not being able to do so is seen as shameful. Consider the characters who perform manual labor or do maintenance work - house-elves, Squibs like Filch, low-level Ministry employee Reg Cattermole.What about entertainers, such as magical athletes and musicians? Is that kind of physical work different? Previous guest David Martin also wrote in wondering about what is considered a service business. Gringotts? The Knight Bus? St. Mungo's Hospital? Niche specialized skills or blended businesses that provide a product as well as a service, like newspapers or wedding marquee rentals, seem to be different than straightforward services. What does this say about the significance of tangible objects wizards can own?Why don't wizards open businesses to provide services to Muggles, secretly using magic to easily make or fix things? Why is any wizard poor when there's a whole untapped market of Muggles who would have more need of their skills? The International Statute of Secrecy and resulting segregation between wizards and Muggles may stop anyone from crossing that line. Magic leaves a trace, and magical repairs may not always work exactly as intended or may be suspiciously effective. The risks may just not be worth it to most people.

In the hallowed halls of Potterversity, hosts Katy McDaniel (Marietta College) and Emily Strand (Ohio Dominican University) explore the Harry Potter series and wider Wizarding World from a critical academic perspective with scholars from a variety of fields, finding new ways to read and opening new doors.

Creator

Potterversity
Years Active

2017 - 2026
Episodes

120
Rating

Clean
Show Website

Potterversity: A Potter Studies Podcast