cfp.english.upenn.edu

We seek to delve further into the mind of Rowling and examine all aspects of the Harry Potter series that lend themselves to a lavender lens. With Dumbledore’s ejection from the closet, queer scholars have taken up Rowling’s decision at all three major Harry Potter Conferences (Accio, Portus, and Terminus) over the summer of 2008. As such, we seek papers for an interdisciplinary reader on queer and feminist issues in Harry Potter. We welcome critical and passionate papers catering to both students and scholars in the fields of sexual/gender diversity studies, cultural studies, children’s literature, and literary analysis. A non-exclusive list of topics are

φ the representation of HIV/AIDS and werewolves
φ normativity and wizardy
φ the ‘closet’ under the stairs and coming out
φ alternative gender roles
φ magic and sex/gender
φ the family
φ slash/fan-fiction
φ movie representations and textual representation
φ camp and effeminacy
φ post-series ‘outings’
φ children Vs adult reader reactions to Dumbledore’s sexuality
φ Oppression
φ Mythological lineage
φ power and authority
φ asexuality
φ child/adolescent relationships/sexuality
φ pedagogical concerns
φ Race, Ethnicity and British Nationalism
φ Pottermania
φ Sexual rhetoric in Harry Potter

Please submit a 400-500 word proposal, including 50 word biography and 100 word abstract, via email in a word document. Proposals should clearly outline the line of argument, significance and relevance of scholarships (or originality), and the principal texts considered. Final papers should be between 3-7,000 words (not including any artwork), and copyrights must be secured in advance.

Deadline for submissions is June 1, 2009. Please send submissions and queries to buznya@mcmaster.ca