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MAY 25, 2007 at 2:39 PM
Posted by CHEESER
Source: HPANA
Students at Lawrence University
in Appleton, Wisconsin, will be able to enroll in a course titled "Thinking about Harry Potter" during their fall term next year.
The course's instructor, Edmund M. Kern, is the author of The Wisdom of Harry Potter: What Our Favorite Hero Teaches Us About Moral Choices
"Today's college students are like no others in history," said Kern. "They had the chance to grow up right along with Harry Potter. I'd be foolish to pass up the teaching opportunities that those circumstances offer me."
Following closely upon the publication of the finale of JK Rowling's series, the course will be interdisciplinary in nature and focus upon Harry not only as a literary phenomenon but as the biggest pop-cultural event of the era. It will explore Rowling's stories in terms of their relation to history, legend, and myth, take up debates about their contested aesthetic merit and ethical values, and take stock of their broader social and political implications.
Enrollment in the course will be by consent of the instructor only.
"I had to find a way to keep things manageable and in line with the small class sizes typical of Lawrence courses," said Kern. For this reason, only students who have already mastered all seven books of the Harry Potter series will participate.
Kern has never demanded over four thousand pages of text as a prerequisite for a course before, and he can't imagine other circumstances that would allow him to do so again. "I'm not going to assign Rowling's books. I'm simply going to assume that my students have a copious knowledge of them," he said.
Interested students will have to write brief explanations of why they should be in the course. Kern hopes this requirement will allow students to "select themselves," but he is afraid that he might have to turn some students away. The course will involve serious scholarship, but Kern insisted it will also be fun. "I want to make sure I end up with the most dedicated fans of Harry Potter," he adds.
In keeping with the academic demands of the course, students will complete short research projects of their own design. "We might get a book of essays out of all this," Kern offered, "but ultimately, I just want my students to apply the skills they have developed in a wide variety of college courses to something that they've enjoyed, witnessed, and really been a part of.
A member of Lawrence's Department of History, Kern first heard about Harry Potter from his students. "Back in '98 or '99, they began to ask me about the books, because I teach a course on the history of religion, magic, and witchcraft. Little did I know then, how things would turn out."
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Order of Merlin, 3rd Class
Points: 1451
leeanne<3ron says:
Oh my gosh ! wow.. a harry potter course.. I know what i want to take when i get to college instaed of maths or something...That is soo cool !
Posted May 27, 2007 at 4:24 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 2nd Class
Points: 1771
Patronus** says:
They have courses for eveerything these days! hee hee hee!!
Sounds like such a fun course to take! wish i had the chance to do something like that, but was happy with my film studies and media course!
Posted May 27, 2007 at 5:41 PM EST
Prefect
Points: 371
Mamaille says:
That cool, Wish they had this course at my college its an easy A
Posted May 27, 2007 at 6:48 PM EST
Professor
Points: 1111
Ron&Hermione4Ever says:
This sounds like a really cool course. I would definitely take it if I could (and ace it!). But, unfortunately, I don't go there. *sad face* But they do have somewhat similar courses at my college (Appalachian State), like one about the mythical creatures in Harry Potter.
Posted May 28, 2007 at 1:47 AM EST
Witch
Points: 948
Grimmauld Place says:
This sounds so cool. I never thoguht there would be a college course based on Harry Potter. But htis really shows how much Harry has affected our world. People really do relate to the choices Harry makes and the inner battles he has. This sounds very cool and the students at this college are very lucky.
Posted May 28, 2007 at 9:16 AM EST
Witch
Points: 894
darkside rocker says:
That be wicked Too BAD i WILL just starting grade 12.
Posted May 28, 2007 at 2:59 PM EST
Witch
Points: 639
Melian Potter says:
That´s so cool!
Take that, Mallory!
Hopefully other universities will follow the example for Harry Potter has much to teach and to debate about!
I´d like to attend such a course myself, only I live too far away.
Posted May 28, 2007 at 5:15 PM EST
Auror
Points: 3647
Anastasia Popovick says:
This kind of a class would be awesome as an on-line class! Then people round the world could participate! I'd love to take it! I'm a college addict anyway! I love going to college.
Posted May 28, 2007 at 9:07 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 1st Class
Points: 1819
zues says:
I don't know if I'd do that but it sounds kinda cool.
Posted May 28, 2007 at 9:36 PM EST
Wizard
Points: 718
Seeker04 says:
Oh my god why doesn't this guy teach in Miami, FL!!! I would jump on that calss in a heart beat!!!!!
Posted May 29, 2007 at 12:04 AM EST
Head Girl
Points: 401
Beruthiel says:
Oh my God! How great would it be, if I could attend such a course at my university in Munich!! It would be fantastic. But Mr Kern's ideas are a little bit unrealistic. How will he constirct the number of students, just by saying, that only students can attend, who have read all seven books? There must be plenty of students who have read all the books several times and not just once! (If I think of myself: I've read all books in english 3 or 4 times and in other languages too. I know them nearly by heart)
Posted May 29, 2007 at 4:35 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 4th Class
Points: 1224
Elza Black says:
This is a course I know I could really enjoy. It sounds perfect to fit my analitical ideas on the books and I think it only once again proves what a great influence this series of books can have on young people (well really everyone) to pick up a book and read.
Posted May 29, 2007 at 10:06 AM EST
Sirius's Veil Thrower
Points: 4651
SiriusBlacksGodDaughter says:
0MG! That's so cool! I want to take that class! What would be retarded, is if Harry Potter heaters went to take the class.
~Drish~
Posted May 29, 2007 at 1:11 PM EST
Points: 572
crazywizard says:
This is an interesting class. It would probably be very hard to fail unless you've just started reading HP.
Posted Jun 4, 2007 at 6:10 PM EST
Heiress of Gryffindor
Points: 3537
Nienna Narmolanya says:
Hmm, Wisconsin - why would you want to go to university in Wisconsin? Is it the cheese? Anyway, that's completely beside the point. You have got to be kidding me - a Harry Potter class? I'd almost consider going to university in Wisconsin for that! He's right though, Harry Potter does teach us lots of moral lessons. Choosing to fight for and with your best friend, trusting your best friend, listening to your dead friend when he tells you to bring his body back...
Posted Jun 4, 2007 at 8:22 PM EST
Rickmaniac to the Core
Points: 2564
snaily says:
Ohhh! I wish such a course started here in India too ....
By the way, is there a correspondece course available ?? *grins*
Posted Jun 5, 2007 at 4:47 AM EST
Rickmaniac to the Core
Points: 2564
snaily says:
I meant "correspondence" ... sorry for the spelling error !!
Posted Jun 5, 2007 at 4:49 AM EST
Witch
Points: 953
im freeeeeeeeee says:
oooo thats soo cool i want to take this! Its suh a good idea!
Posted Jun 6, 2007 at 1:54 AM EST
Auror
Points: 2704
LoveMagic says:
Well, this class sounds good on paper, you get to work with the HP texts and everything, but trust me, I'm sure it wouldn't be all fun. In fact, a class like this could taint HP for you, in all the scholarship and scholarly examination and interpretaion. Ohhh, it could ruin it so I wouldn't dare take this class for the fear of that. Many things in popular culture have taken on a different meaning when studied academically.
Posted Jun 6, 2007 at 10:26 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 2nd Class
Points: 1763
hufflepuff_babe says:
That is soo cool and in my own state too. I want to apply to that school to study just for that. Just kidding, but hey that would be really fun.
Posted Jun 7, 2007 at 1:16 AM EST
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