Potterversity: A Potter Studies Podcast

Potterversity Episode 71: Potter Meets Molesworth

13 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We're going back to school, and specifically Latin class, on this episode.Dr. Mitchell Parks (Knox College) joins us once again to connect classical ...

Potterversity Episode 70: Harry Potter and the Call for Papers

30 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This special episode is a call to join us at our favorite event of the year - the Harry Potter Academic Conference!The 15th annual conference is back...

Potterversity Episode 69: Potter Gets Stranger

09 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We're entering the Upside Down to compare Harry Potter and Stranger Things following the Netflix series's final season. Spoilers ahead - proceed wit...

Potterversity Episode 68: When in Doubt, Go to the Library

09 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We're heading to Hermione's favorite place in this episode: the library!Ian McLaughlin, an PhD student in English who also holds an MLIS, joins Katy ...

Potterversity Episode 67: The Best Hope We Have

12 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We're back with another episode recorded live at the 14th annual Harry Potter Academic Conference, which took place online in October 2025.Katy and E...

Potterversity Episode 66: Back to Wizarding Business

14 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why is there a lack of service businesses in the wizarding world? Following up on our earlier episode about magical businesses, our technical directo...

Potterversity Episode 65: Potter & Trek Part 2 - The Reality Inside Your Head

09 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We're voyaging out to the farthest reaches of space and into the deepest recesses of the mind for another look at Harry Potter and Star Trek. Potterv...

Potterversity Episode 64: Where No Potter Podcast Has Gone Before

12 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Space: the final frontier. Our Prime Directive: to boldly examine what Harry Potter has in common with Star Trek. Hosts Katy and Emily and producer L...

Potterversity Episode 63: The Business of Witchcraft and Wizardry

14 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Let's get down to business - in both the wizarding world and the fandom. Abigail Kohler, adjunct lecturer at Brown University's Nelson Center for Ent...

Potterversity Episode 62: Harry Potter and Revenge

10 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Vengeance is sweet - sometimes. Explore revenge in Harry Potter and the ancient Greek Oresteia by Aeschylus. We welcome back to the show classicist D...

Potterversity Episode 61: Owl Post

10 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Our listeners carry on the conversation about memory and more in Harry Potter in this special episode straight from the owlery. We were excited to he...

Potterversity Episode 60: Silly Resistance in Harry Potter

13 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode, we examine the relationship between humor and resistance to authoritarianism. Harry Potter scholar and stand-up comedian Mark-Anthon...

Potterversity Episode 59: Holding Space for Harry

09 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We're always holding space for Harry Potter, but no one does it quite like the Harry Potter Academic Conference. Our favorite event of the year was b...

Potterversity Episode 58: More than Meets the Eye

11 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Don't judge a book by its cover - this episode is about how looks can be deceiving in Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts. We're joined by Eizabeth Bai...

Potterversity Episode 57: The Ghosts of Our Past

14 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In the spirit of the spooky season, this episode is all about spirits and specters in the wizarding world. Emily and Katy, who recently published a n...

Potterversity Episode 56: The Murky Marshes of Memory - Part 2

23 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The journey to the past continues as we delve deeper into the magic of memory in Harry Potter. In the second part of our conversation with Louise Fre...

Potterversity Episode 55: The Murky Marshes of Memory - Part 1

09 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Explore how memory operates in magical ways in Harry Potter that might be quite unlike the Muggle understanding of memory. Regular contributor Louise...

Potterversity Episode 54: Monsters and the Monstrous

12 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What makes a monster, and how do we relate to them, especially when they produce works of art we love? There are plenty of monsters in the wizarding ...

Potterversity Episode 53: Harry, Aeneas, and the Foundational Text

08 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Venture to the ancient past to explore Harry Potter and the Aeneid as foundational texts. Dr. Mitchell Parks (Knox College) joins us to discuss inter...

Potterversity Episode 52: The Ivory Tower, Harry Potter, and Beyond

10 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Get a preview of the latest Harry Potter academic anthology, featuring a diverse array of essays on the series. We're joined by Dr. Lana Whited (Ferr...

Potterversity Episode 51: Music and Fantasy in the Harry Potter Franchise

13 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Get swept away by the cinematic sounds of the Wizarding World. We're joined by musicologist Dr. Daniel White (University of Huddersfield), who has a ...

Potterversity Episode 50: Teaching, the Hogwarts Way

08 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In the last of our episodes featuring contributors to our book, Potterversity: Essays Exploring the World of Harry Potter, take a look at two very dif...

Potterversity: A Harry Potter History Holiday

25 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Hop on a tour of the UK this summer to see Harry Potter and more beloved works of fantasy come to life. On this episode, sponsored by History Bites T...

Potterversity Episode 49: Playing Potter

11 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We're in for a bit of fun as we look at games in the wizarding world and using games to bring the wizarding world to the classroom. Katy and Emily ar...

Potterversity Episode 48: Self and Others

26 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode, two more contributors to our book talk about their chapters on equality, inclusion, and compassion. Travis Prinzi and Mark-Anthony L...

Potterversity Episode 47: A Question of Character

12 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Featuring more of our book contributors, this episode is about various members of Harry's found family. Katy, technical director Emma Nicholson, and ...

Potterversity Episode 46: Ancient Magic

22 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The next topic from our book up for discussion is old magic steeped in myth and tradition. Katy talks with co-host and co-editor Emily Strand and con...

Potterversity Episode 45: Occult Knowledge

08 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We're starting off the companion episodes to our new book with the dark side of Harry Potter. Dr. Beatrice Groves (Oxford University and Bathilda's N...

Potterversity Episode 44: The Stars Are Bright

11 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Venture to infinity and beyond for a look at astronomy in the wizarding world. We're joined by Jane Bright, a PhD candidate in astronomy and astrophy...

Potterversity Episode 43: Live! From the Chestnut Hill Harry Potter Academic Conference 2023

13 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode, we dish about this year’s Harry Potter Academic Conference and preview our new book, Potterversity: Essays Exploring the World of H...

Potterversity Episode 42: Thoughts on Book Banning for Wizards and Muggles Alike

09 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In honor of Banned Books Week, this episode explores the causes and effects of book banning in the Muggle and wizarding worlds. Harry Potter is one o...

Potterversity Episode 41: Terror and Trauma

18 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Harry Potter may not technically be considered a work of horror, but there are plenty of horrifying aspects to explore in this episode. Katy and Emi...

Potterversity Episode 40: Live from LeakyCon

28 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Join us for a special episode recorded live from LeakyCon Chicago! Katy, Emily, and producer Laurie give LeakyCon attendees an overview of the curren...

Potterversity Episode 39: Considering Cockroach Clusters: Food in the Wizarding World - Part Two

14 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Return with us to the realm of refreshment in the wizarding world! Following up on Episode 29, Katy and Emily continue our conversation about the foo...

Potterversity Episode 38: Jane Austen in the Wizarding World

10 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Explore connections between the works of Jane Austen and Harry Potter. Katy and Emily compare Austen's novels to the Potter series with Dr. Beatrice ...

Potterversity Episode 37: Magical Mental Health

12 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Unpack mental health in the wizarding world and how Harry Potter can serve as bibliotherapy for readers. For insight into these topics, Katy and Emil...

Potterversity Episode 36: Galactic Harry and the Intersecting Fandoms

08 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Fresh off of May the 4th, Emily and Katy talk about their love of and academic interest in Harry Potter alongside another fandom they hold dear: Star ...

Potterversity Episode 35: Rule Breaking as Resistance

10 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Find out how breaking the rules leads to seeking justice in the wizarding world - and our own. An early critique of the Harry Potter series complaine...

Potterversity Episode 34: Hogwarts Forever

13 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We gotta get back to Hogwarts in this episode, where we chat about MuggletNet's Ultimate Unofficial Harry Potter Hogwarts Handbook. Katy and Emily ar...

Potterversity Episode 33: Love and Wonder

27 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Whether it’s love for Hogwarts or love at Hogwarts, this episode will satisfy your wizard school Valentine’s cravings. What theme is more central...

Potterversity Episode 32: Death Eaters

13 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This episode grapples with two omnipresent themes in Harry Potter: death and immortality. Although the series has sometimes been deemed too dark for ...

Potterversity Episode 31: Calling In from the Harry Potter Academic Conference - Part 2

23 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For the second part of our discussion about the 2022 Harry Potter Academic Conference, we discuss current themes in Potter scholarship, including the ...

Potterversity Episode 30: Calling In from the Harry Potter Academic Conference

09 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Join us as we reflect on one of our favorite annual events, the 2022 Harry Potter Academic Conference at Chestnut Hill College. Katy and Emily talk w...

Potterversity Episode 29: Pondering Pumpkin Pasties: Food in the Wizarding World

12 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It’s the holiday season, so it’s time for the magic of food on this month’s episode. Food has a special role at this time of year . . . and in ...

Potterversity Episode 28: Literary Takes on Harry Potter

14 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

For all its growth into a global media franchise, Harry Potter is first and foremost a work of literature. Katy and Emily talk to Dr. Cecilia Konchar...

Potterversity Episode 27: Jim Kay's Illustrated Harry Potter Editions

10 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Explore the whimsical, fantastical, compelling images in Jim Kay’s illustrated Harry Potter editions. On this episode, Katy and Emily talk with art...

Potterversity Episode 26: Learning Defense Against the Dark Arts

12 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Discover how politics can be both Dark Arts and the defense against them in Harry Potter. Katy and Emily talk to Dr. John S. Nelson, Professor of Pol...

Potterversity Episode 25: The Alchemy of Harry Potter

08 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Discover the transfiguring effects of reading the Harry Potter series on this month’s episode. Emily and Katy talk with Dr. Anne Mamary (Monmouth C...

Potterversity Episode 24: Wrock On!

11 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Wrock out on this episode about musical fan creations in the Potterverse. We are all about fan culture in this month’s episode. Emily and Katy ta...

Potterversity Episode 23: Secrets of Dumbledore: Outtakes and Conversations

13 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Eavesdrop on the Potterversity faculty in the staff lounge as we dish about Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore! NOTE: This episode contain...

Potterversity Episode 22: Secrets of Dumbledore and the Deathly Hallows

23 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Join us for our deep dive into Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore and its literary allusions, beastly lore, and continuation of the plot poin...

Potterversity Episode 21: David Martin FTW!

09 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

David Martin, one of the winners of Harry Potter: Hogwarts Tournament of Houses, talks about his amazing experience on the show. On this episode, Ka...

Potterversity Episode 20: Noble Blood in Harry Potter and Arthurian Literature

11 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Understand the ties that bind – blood and otherwise – in Arthurian legend and the wizarding world in this episode. Emily and Katy discuss with ...

Potterversity Episode 19: Harry's Fantastic Fandom

14 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Take a closer look at the Harry Potter fandom in this month's episode! What aspects of the fandom are your favorites: festivals, online communities,...

Potterversity Episode 18: The Problem with House-Elves

14 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We at Potterversity love house-elves! Join us for our valentine to Dobby, Winky, Kreacher, and Hokey and their persistent relevance for understanding ...

Potterversity Episode 17: Potter and the Pig

10 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Looking to recover lost love? Discover the connections between the Harry Potter stories and The Christmas Pig.  Designed for younger readers, The C...

Potterversity Episode 16: You Can't Over-Nerd Here

13 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Tune in for the latest Potter Studies insights from the tenth annual Harry Potter Academic Conference! In this special episode, Emily and Katy have ...

Potterversity Episode 15: Film, Fandom, and Podcasting in Academia

08 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Get a little "meta" in this episode about Harry Potter fandom and pop culture podcasting!  Emily and Katy talk with film and fandom scholar - and f...

Potterversity Episode 14: Hogwarts Bullies

11 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Investigate bullying at Hogwarts on this month’s episode. In this episode, Emily and Katy talk with Ithaca College’s Katharine Kittredge and Ca...

Potterversity Episode 13: Don't Know Much About . . . Arithmancy

13 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Decode magical numbers on this month's episode! Katy and Emily talk with Dr. Lana Whited (Ferrum College) about one of the more mysterious of the mag...

Potterversity Episode 12: Harry and Aeneas in the Underworld

09 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Harry’s explorations of loss, grief, and the nature of death borrow heavily from classical visions of the underworld, especially Virgil's Aeneid. I...

Potterversity Episode 11: Reading the Signs

12 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode, we're reading Harry Potter through trauma theory, Fat Studies, and semiotics - and from the perspective of a nonbinary trans scholar ...

Potterversity Episode 10: William Shakespeare's History of Hogwarts?

14 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Universes collide as we imagine the story of the founding of Hogwarts in the form of a Shakespeare play. In this episode, we're joined by Ian Doesch...

Potterversity Episode 9: Harry Meets Dracula

10 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Explore the many dark connections between Harry Potter and Dracula, two stories of love, death, and the conquest of evil. In this episode, Katy and ...

Potterversity Episode 8: The Puffs' Perspective - Part 2

26 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

'Our Puffs-palooza continues as we talk with some of the talented people behind the play Puffs.  We continue our conversation about the wonderful f...

Potterversity Episode 7: The Puffs' Perspective

12 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Join us for the beginning of our Puffs-palooza!  In this episode, we talk with Dr. Melissa Aaron and Dr. Lauren Camacci about the off-Broadway play...

Potterversity Episode 6: The Hero with a Thousand Genres

08 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Are the Harry Potter novels fantasy, mystery, school story, bildungsroman, allegory, or something else? Harry Potter’s blend of genres shapes rea...

Potterversity Episode 5: Uncle Vernon

08 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A Valentine for...Uncle Vernon?  In this episode of Potterversity, Katy and Emily talk with scholar Tim Jennings about Vernon Dursley in a way that...

Potterversity Episode 4: Violence and Civilization

11 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What does the prevalence of violence in the Harry Potter series tell us about magical civilization - and our own?  Despite its theme of nonviolence...

Potterversity Episode 3: A Very Harry Christmas

14 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Uncover the meaning of Christmas in the Harry Potter novels.  On this episode, Katy and Emily talk with Dr. Beatrice Groves (author of Literary All...

Potterversity Episode 2: Good Trouble

30 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Rule-breaking for the right reasons on this episode of Potterversity. Katy and Emily talk with Dr. Beth Sutton-Ramspeck about her analysis of rule-b...

Potterversity Episode 1: Orientation

31 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Catch a glimpse of the latest in Harry Potter scholarship and get oriented to our new podcast!  In our first episode, Emily and Katy introduce the ...

Episode 46: A Bridge to Something Magical

28 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In imaginative fiction, bridges provide access to magical and dangerous worlds.  During this month’s episode, Katy and Emily talk about bridges i...

Episode 45: Alchemical Weddings in Harry Potter and Beyond

10 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Literary alchemy provides clues to the romantic pairings in Harry Potter.  Why did Ron and Hermione, Remus and Tonks, and Bill and Fleur end up pai...

Episode 44: The Ickabog: Thoughts in Progress

20 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Far from an offhand or casually constructed story, The Ickabog intentionally continues many of the themes and structures of the Harry Potter books in ...

Episode 43: The Wizard and the Hopping Plot

08 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Explore the surprising relevance of Beedle the Bard’s first tale - “The Wizard and the Hopping Pot” - in this week’s episode.  “The Wizar...

Episode 42: Spinning Ginny Weasley

01 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Take a closer look at the fierce and fine Ginny Weasley in this bonus episode.  Katy and Emily talk with Louise Freeman (Mary Baldwin University) a...

Episode 41: Breaking Babbitty

25 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Deconstruct Beedle the Bard’s tale “Babbitty Rabbitty and Her Cackling Stump” with us in our latest bonus episode!  Katy and Emily talk with ...

Episode 40: Unpacking Petunia

18 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Take a surprising closer look at Petunia Dursley in this week’s episode.  Harry’s Aunt Petunia is one of the lesser villains of Rowling’s fan...

Episode 39: When in Doubt, Go to the Library: The Books Within the Books

11 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Which of the wizarding world books mentioned in the Harry Potter series would you most like to have on your bookshelf?  Join us in considering the ...

Episode 38: Harry Potter and the Deathly Virus

04 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Graduating seniors connect their experiences this spring to the final Harry Potter book.  In this special episode, Emily, Katy, and Lana Whited (Fe...

Episode 37: Troubled Blood and The Faerie Queene: Strike 5

27 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Prognostications about the next Cormoran Strike novel, based on the clues so far.  In this bonus episode, John and Katy predict what will happen in...

Episode 36: How We Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Harry Potter

20 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Enjoy a special bonus mini episode of our show about how we’re “holding on to Harry Potter.”  Katy and Emily talk with MuggleNet’s Laurie B...

Episode 35: Lessons in Magical Manipulation

13 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Explore the more-than-magical power of words and rhetoric in the wizarding world.  This month’s episode explores Albus Dumbledore’s wisdom that...

Episode 34: Werewolves of Wizard London (And Other Animal Transformations)

09 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Get to the heart of werewolves in the Harry Potter series in this month’s special double episode! In this supersized episode, John and Katy talk ...

Episode 33: Revela Draconem: Draco Malfoy Revealed

10 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

**This episode is dedicated to our friends in Australia, including our fabulous editor Emma Nicholson, who are still dealing with the aftermath of th...

Episode 32: Re-Enchanted: Medievalism, Children's Literature, and Fantasy

09 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Discover the origins, influence, and magic of medievalist children’s fantasy literature in our conversation with Dr. Maria Sachiko Cecire about her ...

Episode 31: Books! And Cleverness! The Harry Potter Academic Conference at Chestnut Hill College

11 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Eavesdrop on our conference conversation recorded at Chestnut Hill College! This episode showcases both the new and enduring trends in Harry Potter ...

Episode 30: Harry Potter Voices Across Borders

15 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Harry Potter empowers us to speak across borders of difference and find our authentic voices. In this month’s episode, Katy and Emily talk with ...

Episode 29: Tolkien and Rowling (Part 2)

24 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Fandoms and film adaptations of Middle-earth and the Wizarding World in this week’s episode. Katy and John continue the conversation with Dr. Sara...

Episode 28: Tolkien & Rowling (Part 1)

09 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

What does the wizarding world owe to Middle-earth? This month, Katy and John talk about the fantasy worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien and J.K. Rowling with g...

Episode 27: Humor and Harry Potter (Part 2)

26 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

J.K. Rowling’s comedy helps us connect with the darker themes of the Harry Potter story. Join us for Part 2 of our discussion of “Humor and Har...

Episode 26: Humor and Harry Potter (Part 1)

12 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

What are your favorite funny moments in Harry Potter? J.K. Rowling’s deft use of humor is one of the core reasons for the success of the Harry Po...

Episode 25: Literary Alchemy and the Mythic Context

08 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Uncover the literary secrets within Harry Potter, Cormoran Strike, and Fantastic Beasts! In this episode, Katy and John do a deep dive into the symb...

Episode 24: The Wand in the Stone? Harry Potter and King Arthur

10 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Explore the many Harry Potter references to King Arthur in this month’s episode!  Three generations of Potter scholars gather to talk about J.K. ...

Episode 23: Harry Potter: The Movies

14 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Whether you love the movies or hate them, this episode will open your eyes to the challenges and artistry of the Harry Potter movies. In this episod...

Episode 22: Transfiguring Adoption

08 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

You do not want to miss this compelling, poignant episode about the power of reading (and reading Harry Potter in particular) in our emotional lives. ...

Episode 21: Divination Class: Tarot, Astrology, and Games in Harry Potter

25 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Who could have predicted this episode? Join us in Divination Class for this episode on tarot, astrology, and games in the Harry Potter series. Wit...

Episode 20: Investigating The Crimes of Grindelwald

11 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This month join us at alchemist Nicolas Flamel’s house, where we’re searching for answers to the profound questions raised by the second film in t...

Episode 19: The Marauders

11 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Katy and her co-host Emily Strand discuss these fan favorites with guests Katherine Sas  (University of Pennsylvania) and Robb McDaniel (Middle Tenne...