“Harry Potter and the Heroes of Myth” “The Hermione Factor: How One Witch Influenced a Generation of Female Activists”

“Harry Potter and the Heroes of Myth” Presenter: Austin Busch, Department of English Austin Busch is an associate professor of early world literature at The College at Brockport. He has a PhD in classics and comparative literature from Indiana University. Before coming to Brockport, he held a postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University. His areas of research specialty include New Testament and Roman Imperial literature, and he is co-editor of the Norton English Bible. Dr. Busch is especially interested in the reception history of classical and biblical literatures. “The Hermione Factor: How One Witch Influenced a Generation of Female Activists” Presenter: Barbi Clifton, Department of English This paper will examine how the main female character in the Harry Potter series plays a much more significant role than just helpmate to the two male protagonists. As one of J.K. Rowling's most iconic characters, Hermione Granger has markedly impacted the development of a generation of female activists. In this paper, I will explore how Hermione's intelligence and agency help her negotiate the confines of a largely patriarchal institution, as well as how her resistance to misogyny and injustice fuel her efforts on behalf of those without a voice. More specifically, I will critique how her activism on behalf of marginalized creatures — including giants, hippogriffs and house elves—has provided a template for millennial female readers to rail against injustices in contemporary society. By drawing parallels between the struggle for social justice in Hermione's fictional world at Hogwarts and the current climate of divisiveness on college campuses and within urban landscapes, I will demonstrate how Hermione has empowered young female readers to stand up for what they believe in and claim their voices. As further support of millennials' identification with the character's impactful role, I will discuss how Emma Watson, the actress who portrays Hermione in the films, is considered one of the strongest voices against marginalization among this generation. In this way, her character becomes even more influential, infused with the actress's own beliefs and convictions, as she empowers young females to develop social awareness and become important agents of change. Barbi Clifton earned her MA in English Literature at Brockport, and now serves as an adjunct lecturer in the Department of English. Her area of interest is Children’s and Young Adult Literature, but she has a passion for everything English. “Pride & Patronus” Presenter: Laura Dumuhosky, Drake Memorial Library In the Harry Potter series, Severus Snape is introduced to us as a probable villain bent on Harry’s downfall, or at best a thorn in his side. Harry’s dad, James, on the other hand is given implicit trust and adoration, due in part to his paternal status but also in part because he and Snape did not get along. Snape was raised to believe in the innate superiority of magical blood, and found himself in love with a “muggle born.” He of course fights this feeling at first, and even says some fairly unforgivable things to his love, but eventually is confronted with a difficult choice. He decides that he is willing to throw off his established connections and perceived status to be with her. Thus far, this could be the tale of Darcy and Lizzie Bennet in Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice. Where the plots deviate the most drastically, though there are subtle differences throughout, is that unlike Lizzie, Lily never realizes her love for Snape. She instead chooses the roguish, jocular, and charming (in Lily’s case reformed) cad. Snape never recovers from Lily’s rebuke, but unlike Darcy, is never given an opportunity to prove his love to her while she is alive. This suggests that Snape’s character is the tragic counterpart to Darcy’s comedic hero (I am here using the traditional definition of a comedy ending in a wedding/tragedy ending in a funeral). Laura Dumuhosky is a reference and instructional librarian at Drake Memorial Library, The College at Brockport. She graduated from The College at Brockport with a BA in English: Literature, and she is a long-standing Anglophile, proud Ravenclaw, and lover of all things magical, mythical, and literary. “What does Harry Potter have that Voldemort didn’t – Besides a Nose?: Resiliency and Post-Traumatic Growth” Presenters: Kristin Heffernan, Department of Social Work and Jessica L. Sniatecki, Department of Healthcare Studies Current research has demonstrated the links between early childhood trauma and adverse childhood experiences and the development of mental health disorders and/or complex trauma. So, it is not difficult when we examine the life of Lord Voldemort to theorize about what might have gone wrong. But what then can we say about our young Mr. Harry Potter? Were their lives so very different? Both boys were orphaned, growing up without parental support, friends and good role models prior to age 12 — Harry with the Dursley family and Tom in Wool’s Orphanage. So what made the difference? What did Harry Potter have that Voldemolt didn’t that made him a hero instead of a villain? This session will delve into this dilemma and try to provide possible explanations about what may be at its source. Kristin Heffernan is a professor at The College at Brockport. She holds a MSW degree from Fordham University and a PhD from Boston College. Dr. Heffernan’s specific research interests lie in social justice, human trafficking, women’s issues, promoting social work education, and leadership. She is currently working on developing best practices for social workers working in Human Trafficking using a Trauma Informed Lens. Dr. Heffernan teaches Social Work Methods I & II, Human Behavior in the Social Environment I & II, Research Methods and Trauma theory, therapy and informed care. Her community-based practice has included clinical and administrative work with at risk youth and families in both New York and Boston. Jessica L. Sniatecki, PhD, CRC, is an associate professor of Healthcare Studies (Alcohol and Substance Abuse Studies program) at The College at Brockport. She holds her doctorate in counselor education from the University at Buffalo and has held national certification as a Rehabilitation Counselor since 2004. Her research focuses on the college experience for students with disabilities, positive aspects of disability, and career development for students with disabilities. She has also been the recipient of multiple awards including the National Career Development Association’s Career Convergence Recognition Award, the New York State Career Development Association’s Diversity Award, and The College at Brockport’s Diversity Engagement Award. “How Facing Fears in Harry Potter Can Help Students Develop Leadership Skills” Presenter: Annie Hidley, Graduate Student, English Literature My interest of the ways in which young adults relate so closely and fiercely with YA literature drives the topic of my Harry Potter presentation. I will dissect the character of the boggart, its role in The Prisoner of Azkaban, and the way in which adolescents perceive, face and manage fear. In this presentation, I will discuss the origin of the boggart and its role in the novel. This concept relates to Mark Sanborn’s book The Fred Factor, which I first read in a Leadership Class as a high school student. Sanborn’s discourse recognizes the importance of facing fears, and taking strategic risks in order to add value to our lives and the lives of others. As an English teacher of 11th and 12th grade students, I am interested in the way in which fear limits students from maximizing their potential, and I am committed to aiding them in their cultivation of their own strengths and leadership. Sanborn’s claims will support my argument that reading the fantasy genre (and additional contemporary YA Literature, for that matter) in the high school classroom is essential, and can help students develop leadership skills. This is supported by the character’s relationship with the boggart in The Prisoner of Azkaban. Annie Hidley will be graduating from The College at Brockport this spring with an MA in English Literature. She is an English teacher of 11th and 12th grade students at Brockport High School, and she is a yoga and meditation instructor in Penfield. Her creative works have been published in The Great Lakes Review and Jigsaw. She is still working on mastering her patronus, and it’s turning out to look a bit Stoat-ish. “Dangerous Ideas: Christianity’s Rejection of the Harry Potter Series” Presenter: Brianna Kifer, Undergraduate Student, English (Sponsored by: Professor Austin Busch) My paper discusses the widespread banning and condemnation of the Harry Potter series by Christian communities due to the belief that the series is anti-Christian and morally corrupting. I was interested in delving into the accusations made against the series and wondered if there was anything within the text that merited the level of consternation about the series. In this paper, I am able to successfully argue that far from being satanic and dangerous, the series actually embodies many Christian values and that if you look past the imaginary world of witchcraft and the fictional setting it is clear that the books should certainly not be considered manuals for practicing the occult and pose no danger to children’s moral development. Instead, the books offer moral guidelines that the tenets of Christianity must certainly approve and encourage children to show kindness, bravery, tolerance, and empathy. The themes of friendship, loyalty, and self-sacrifice strike a clear moral, even Christian-leaning chord. Furthermore, the books demonstrate a clear contrast between good and evil, the line between the two is brightly drawn, and evil doers are fully condemned. Not to mention that good prevails over evil again and again throughout the series.

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