MuggleNet Academia
MuggleNet Academia Lesson 40: "The Wizarding War was Won on the Quidditch Pitch of Hogwarts"

MuggleNet Academia is a comprehensive insight into the literary thematic elements and scholastic endeavors that author J.K. Rowling has provided in her writings of the Harry Potter and Cormoran Strike series.

We look through the entire Harry Potter series for various elements in alchemy, literary components, composition attributes, as well as available classes at Universities and Colleges around the world, and various unique studies that are being implemented today. We also dissect the Cormoran Strike series as the books are being released, helping readers understand and appreciate the writings of the modern-day Dickens, J.K. Rowling.

In this lesson, we discuss the published essay from Harry Potter for Nerds Part II by author Emily Strand titled: "The Second War was Won on the Quidditch Pitch of Hogwarts: Quidditch as a Symbol Set in the Harry Potter Narrative." This discussion reveals the symbolic parallels between the player positions and the characters who act out these roles in the larger story. Additionally, we focus on the literary alchemy found within the Quidditch game itself and how this relates to the overall Hogwarts Saga plot twists and themes.

We hope you enjoy the show. Thank you for listening.

Direct download: Lesson40.mp3
Category:Literature -- posted at: 1:58pm EDT

MuggleNet Academia Lesson 39: "The Boy Who Lived, All Grown Up"

MuggleNet Academia is a comprehensive insight into the literary thematic elements and scholastic endeavors that author J.K. Rowling has provided in her writings of the Harry Potter and Cormoran Strike series.

We look through the entire Harry Potter series for various elements in alchemy, literary components, composition attributes, as well as available classes at Universities and Colleges around the world, and various unique studies that are being implemented today. We also dissect the Cormoran Strike series as the books are being released, helping readers understand and appreciate the writings of the modern-day Dickens, J.K. Rowling.

In this lesson, we discuss a new course that is being held on the University of Maryland titled, "The Boy Who Lived, All Grown Up: Assessing the Harry Potter books and their Adaptations." The Terrapins in Prof. Markey Butler’s course explore the multi-leveled experiences in story adaptation and even propose a new adaptation of the <em>Harry Potter</em> series themselves, not just writing fan-fiction but imagining new categories of fan engagement and adaptation of the original story. Also joining the show is Terrapin student Meg Galuardi from Prof. Markey Butler's class.

We hope you enjoy the show. Thank you for listening.

Direct download: Lesson39_Full.mp3
Category:Literature -- posted at: 12:26pm EDT

MuggleNet Academia Lesson 38: "The Harry Potter Lexicon - Here and Back Again"

MuggleNet Academia is a comprehensive insight into the literary thematic elements and scholastic endeavors that author J.K. Rowling has provided in her writings of the Harry Potter and Cormoran Strike series.

We look through the entire Harry Potter series for various elements in alchemy, literary components, composition attributes, as well as available classes at Universities and Colleges around the world, and various unique studies that are being implemented today. We also dissect the Cormoran Strike series as the books are being released, helping readers understand and appreciate the writings of the modern-day Dickens, J.K. Rowling.

In this lesson, we discuss The Harry Potter Lexicon, the ultimate resource of facts and information on the Harry Potter series, with the creator and owner Steve Vander Ark. The Lexicon will soon be re-launched with a whole new appearance designed to allow easier and friendlier navigation as well as be mobile friendly. Additionally, we discuss the lawsuit that took place in 2008 in New York City between RDR and JKR, which centered around the book form of the Lexicon.

Also joining the show is Kat Miller, the Creative and Marketing Director for MuggleNet and Host and Co-Creator of the Alohomora podcast.

We hope you enjoy the show. Thank you for listening.

Direct download: Lesson38.mp3
Category:Literature -- posted at: 10:15am EDT

MuggleNet Academia Lesson 37: “Harry Potter for Nerds Part II - Essays for Lit Geeks”

MuggleNet Academia is a comprehensive insight into the literary thematic elements and scholastic endeavors that author J.K. Rowling has provided in her writings of the Harry Potter and Cormoran Strike series.

We look through the entire Harry Potter series for various elements in alchemy, literary components, composition attributes, as well as available classes at Universities and Colleges around the world, and various unique studies that are being implemented today. We also dissect the Cormoran Strike series as the books are being released, helping readers understand and appreciate the writings of the modern-day Dickens, J.K. Rowling.

We continue to examine topics that are present within the NEW academic books that are focused on the literature of the Harry Potter series. Fresh off a fantastic discussion and release of the Ravenclaw Reader and Into the Pensieve, this lesson on MuggleNet Academia focuses on another collection of essays, Harry Potter for Nerds II as presented by Travis Prinzi and Professor Kathryn McDaniel.

In this lesson, the editors of Harry Potter for Nerds II, Prinzi and McDaniel, talk with Keith Hawk and John Granger about Lupin, Twins in Harry Potter, Quidditch, Gothic tropes, Reverse alchemy, Dumbledore’s mom, the White Rose Society, even another look at Squibs.

We hope you enjoy the show. Thank you for listening.

Direct download: Lesson_37.mp3
Category:Literature -- posted at: 8:13am EDT

MuggleNet Academia Lesson 36: "Violence Against Women Harry Potter"

MuggleNet Academia is a comprehensive insight into the literary thematic elements and scholastic endeavors that author J.K. Rowling has provided in her writings of the Harry Potter series.

We look through the entire Harry Potter series for various elements in alchemy, literary components, composition attributes, as well as available classes at Universities and Colleges around the world, and various unique studies that are being implemented today.

We continue to examine topics that are present within the NEW academic books that are focused on the literature of the Harry Potter series. Fresh off a fantastic discussion and release of the Ravenclaw Reader, this lesson on MuggleNet Academia focuses on Chapter 11 from Professor Patrick McCauley's new book Into the Pensieve.

In this lesson, we discuss a key topic and theme that is prevalent throughout the Harry Potter series but has been overlooked in the past...Violence Against the female characters and their repercussions in the magical world. Joining Professor Patrick McCauley on this show is MuggleNet Creative Team Staff Members, Amy Hogan and Lizzie Sudlow.

In this lesson we discuss:

  • Why did J.K. Rowling name her first daughter, Jessica, after Jessica Mitford, a known communist and fascist supporter and author of Hons and Rebels?
  • Rowling's skill of writing to the level of her reader's ages throughout the series.
  • What really happened to the female characters like Katie Bell, Ariana Dumbledore, Lily Potter, Dolores Umbridge, and even Helena Ravenclaw.
  • AND SO MUCH MORE!

We hope you enjoy the show. Thank you for listening.

Direct download: Lesson_36.mp3
Category:Literature -- posted at: 9:21am EDT

MuggleNet Academia Lesson 35: "Ravenclaw Reader – Academia from St. Andrews"

MuggleNet Academia is a comprehensive insight into the literary thematic elements and scholastic endeavors that author J.K. Rowling has provided in her writings of the Harry Potter series.

Host Keith Hawk and co-host John Granger, the Hogwarts Professor, look through the entire Harry Potter series for various elements in alchemy, literary components, composition attributes, as well as available classes at Universities and Colleges around the world, and various unique studies that are being implemented today.

In this lesson, we discuss the St. Andrews Harry Potter Literature Conference that took place in May of 2012 and the resultant book that is now available for order, Ravenclaw Reader. Ravenclaw Reader features dynamic analysis of the text of Potter from Potter Pundits around the world. Each essay within the book is followed by a peer rebuttal from another pundit. 

This lesson features the two literary professors that not only put the conference together, but were also the key editors for Ravenclaw Reader. Professor John Patrick Pazdziora, who is the Associate Professor of Foreign Languages and Literature at the College of Liberal Arts, Shantou University, in the People's Republic of China. And Father Micah Snell teaches writing and Great Books in the Honors College at Houston Baptist University. Also joining us is Professor Joshua Richards who is an Assistant Professor of English at Williams Baptist College and who presented a masterful piece on why Severus Snape is Harry's Father Figure within the stories.

Get your copy of the Ravenclaw Reader today, available on Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Ravenclaw-Reader-Artistry-University-Conference/dp/0990882101?tag=mugglenet00-20)

We hope you enjoy the show. Thank you for listening.

Direct download: Lesson_35.mp3
Category:Literature -- posted at: 8:51am EDT

MuggleNet Academia Lesson 34: "Magick Moste Evile - Harry and the Horrible Horcruxes"

MuggleNet Academia is a comprehensive insight into the literary thematic elements and scholastic endeavors that author J.K. Rowling has provided in her writings of the Harry Potter series.

Host Keith Hawk and co-host John Granger, the Hogwarts Professor, look through the entire Harry Potter series for various elements in alchemy, literary components, composition attributes, as well as available classes at Universities and Colleges around the world, and various unique studies that are being implemented today.

In this lesson, we analyze the time line of Lord Voldemort's Horcruxes and Harry's decision to hunt for them versus tackling the task of collecting Hallows. Our discussion is based on a recent piece written by our Guest Professor from Houston Community College, Professor Wayne Stauffer, which you can view on both the MuggleNet website as well as the Hogwarts Professor website. Also joining our show is our student guest, who so happens to also be a college professor in New Hampshire, proud Slytherin Professor Selina Marcille.

We hope you enjoy the show. Thank you for listening.

Direct download: Lesson34.mp3
Category:Literature -- posted at: 1:59pm EDT

MuggleNet Academia Lesson 33: "JK Rowling's birthday secret - Cormoran Strike and the Invisibility Cloak"

WARNING: SPOILER ALERT!!! We discuss plot and narrative points within both the "Cuckoo's Calling" and "Silkworm" novels by Robert Galbraith. Please read these amazing novels before listening to this show!

MuggleNet Academia is a comprehensive insight into the literary thematic elements and scholastic endeavors that author J.K. Rowling has provided in her writings of the Harry Potter series.

We look through the entire Harry Potter series for various elements in alchemy, literary components, composition attributes, as well as available classes at Universities and Colleges around the world, and various unique studies that are being implemented today.

In this very special edition of MuggleNet Academia,we celebrate Harry Potter and J.K. Rowling's birthday with a look into the Cormoran Strike mystery novels by Rowling's pseudonym, Robert Galbraith. This program shows the unique comparison between the Potter series and the Doom Bar detective to show why this series is set to take off within the fandom.

Our special guests for this show is a returning favorite speaker, Dolores Gordon-Smith, author of the Jack Haldean mystery novels set in the 1920's of UK, and Professor Karen Kebarle from Algonquin College and La Cité Collègiale in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

We hope you this special birthday edition of MuggleNet Academia. Thank you for listening.

Direct download: Lesson_33.mp3
Category:Literature -- posted at: 10:08am EDT

MuggleNet interviews Stefan Coisson to discuss the Harry Potter TCG (Trading Card Game) tournament that is taking place at Gen Con 2015 in Indianapolis, IN USA. In this interview, we discuss the game's history and play as well as the tournament layout for Gen Con 2015. We are hoping to see a resurgence of this game from the early 2000's when it was first introduced.

Thanks for listening!

Direct download: HarryPotterTCGGenCon2015.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:46pm EDT

MuggleNet Academia Lesson 32: "Medieval Motifs in Harry Potter"

MuggleNet Academia is a comprehensive insight into the literary thematic elements and scholastic endeavors that author J.K. Rowling has provided in her writings of the Harry Potter series.

We look through the entire Harry Potter series for various elements in alchemy, literary components, composition attributes, as well as available classes at Universities and Colleges around the world, and various unique studies that are being implemented today.

In this lesson, we unpack the classical and medieval ideas and symbols that are embedded in and across the Hogwarts Saga as shared by Professor Rhonda Dubec of Lakehead University in Ontario Canada. We hope to introduce the real Middle Ages, to explore the symbols, culture, and metaphysics of this time as it finds expression in Hogwarts.

Our student guests for this show are Nadia Mulvihill, an English Literature graduate and English Teacher from upstate New York, and Aaron Schwartz, a classically trained musician and vocal instructor from Southern California.

We hope you enjoy the show. Thank you for listening.

Direct download: Lesson32.mp3
Category:Literature -- posted at: 9:56am EDT

MuggleNet Academia is a comprehensive insight into the literary thematic elements and scholastic endeavors that author J.K. Rowling has provided in her writings of the Harry Potter series.

We look through the entire Harry Potter series for various elements in alchemy, literary components, composition attributes, as well as available classes at Universities and Colleges around the world, and various unique studies that are being implemented today.

In this lesson, we examine the role of the books mentioned within the books of Harry Potter. Who reads them and who doesn't and what they tell us about the characters; Books that are used as gifts, weapons, and jokes within the Hogwarts Saga; How authors of the  magical books should be understood; and so much more.

We are joined by Hufflepuff extraordinaire, David Martin, who shares with us his MISTI-Con presentation on this very subject. We are also joined by Kelly Orazi and Ariel Taranski as our specially selected student guests.

We hope you enjoy the show. Thank you for listening.

Direct download: Lesson31.mp3
Category:Literature -- posted at: 6:21pm EDT

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