The Cultural Phenomenon of Harry Potter

Course Description

There is much debate about the literary merits of the Harry Potter series. This course investigates those debates and focuses on the novels as a cultural phenomenon. The books have become symbols in larger cultural battles about religious values, literacy and the role of children's literature in shaping the next generation's beliefs about gender, social class, race, imperialism, capitalism and spirituality. Students engage in discussions about complex cultural artifacts that affect ideology and about the ways we define literary merit within contemporary consumer contexts.