Harry Potter & International Relations

Why not take the claim that Harry Potter's world intertwines with our own seriously? In this timely yet otherworldly volume, over a dozen scholars of international relations join hands to demonstrate how this vastly popular artefact of popular culture reflects and shapes our own life world. Drawing on a wide range of historical and sociological sources, each shows how aspects of Harry's world contain aspects of our own. Practices such as quid ditch dovetail quite clearly with muggle sports, and the very British-ness of the books has, in translation into languages such as Turkish and Arabic, been transformed to reflect these unique cultures. Chapters on the political economy of the franchise as well as on the scholarly problems of studying popular culture, frame what is essentially a highly infotaining read. "A landmark in muggle studies." - "The Daily Prophet".