cfp.english.upenn.edu

CALL FOR PAPERS/PEOPLE: Enlightening 2007
Philadelphia, PA
July 12-15, 2007
A Harry Potter Camp for Families presented by Bonding over Books

Enlightening 2007 (E7) is the world's first Harry Potter Camp for Families. Sponsored by Bonding over Books, E7 will include a mix of serious academic exploration of J.K Rowling's text, interactive events and competitions for families to engage in together, and workshops in
which participants learn and practice how to contribute to the fandom.

The event is designed to enable fans of Harry Potter to deepen existing connections within families and form new connections with peers. J.K. Rowling's magical series provides a unique opportunity for shared experiences and discussions on several important topics relevant to all ages. The University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Education will co-sponsor and host E7 in a setting worthy of the special occasion -- Penn's gothic, ivy-league campus.

We invite proposals for interactive sessions that support and expand on the central theme of the event. In particular, E7 seeks fresh ideas, delivered in novel, experiential ways. As an interactive,
participant-centered event on a smaller scale than other Harry Potter symposia, we look for proposals that include a plan to engage attendees, involving them in role plays, workshops, activities, or other experiential methods of your choosing.

Topics of interest include, but are certainly not limited to, the following:

· Different parenting styles of the various mother/father figures in Harry's world
· Friendship and love -- stated and unstated, requited and unrequited -- in the Harry Potter world
· Role of social organizations, such as religion and government, in the texts
· Racism and discrimination in the Wizard world and how dictators (from Voldemort to Hitler) are able to use these environments to gain power and support
· Compare and contrast the way different age categories read and interpret the texts
· Harry Potter in the school curriculum
· Life lessons from the texts and how they might facilitate family discussions of some of the books' most difficult themes: choices, perseverance, loss, grief, and coming of age
· The secret worlds that children make for themselves, and the relationships that parental figures should or should not have with those secret worlds
· The influence of British and Celtic mythology on the texts, with particular attention to the community/cultural values reflected in the myths
· The world of Harry Potter and the connections it can help foster in the muggle world

Please submit your paper topic, along with a brief description of your research/theories on the selected topic and your planned method for engaging the audience in a 45-minute session, in a document that does not exceed 700 words by January 31. In addition to explaining your idea and approach, please provide any biographical information that demonstrates your interest and ability to lead the session you propose.

Submissions and questions about the submission process should be sent to submissions_at_enlightening2007.org. Decisions will be made by March 1. All presenters must register as participants of E7 by April 1, 2007 at the teacher/staff rate ($65).

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Received on Tue Nov 28 2006 - 17:57:48 EST