8th Annual Harry Potter Academic Conference at Chestnut Hill College - MoreThanTheCurve
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  1. 8th Annual Harry Potter Academic Conference at Chestnut Hill College

    Education, Hosted By Chestnut Hill College

  2. Took place on Friday, October 18th, 2019 through Saturday, October 19th
  3. On Oct. 18-19, Chestnut Hill College hosts the 8th Annual Harry Potter Academic Conference — the country’s only interdisciplinary academic symposium where faculty, students, and community members present scholarly papers and works of art based on J.K. Rowling’s world-renowned book series.

    The nonprofit conference, held over the course of two days at the college, seeks to create a dialogue that transcends the books. Presentations and panel discussions cover such topics as ethics, politics, and the ways various academic disciplines can interpret Harry Potter and use the series as educational material in the classroom. The conference features presenters from multiple fields, such as science and philosophy, and range from high school students to doctors of philosophy.

    “The annual conference has grown over the past seven years to be one of the most fertile opportunities to meet and seriously discuss the Wizarding World of J. K. Rowling as well as its cultural impact,” said Patrick McCauley, an associate professor of religious studies and philosophy at the college who along with Karen Wendling, an associate professor of chemistry, established the nonprofit conference. “The conference draws people from around the country. The willingness of people to come and participate is the conference’s most precious asset.”

    The conference coincides with the college’s 10th Annual Brotherly Love Cup Quidditch Tournament, which begins at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 19 on the college’s softball field. The event features athletes from eight schools and organizations participating in exciting rounds of fun and frenetic games of Quidditch, a sport that appears in the Harry Potter series. There is no admission fee for the event, but food, merchandise, and games are pay as you go. Parking is $10 per vehicle.

    The Harry Potter Academic Conference takes place at Chestnut Hill College, in the rotunda and adjoining parlors in St. Joseph Hall, on Friday, Oct. 18 and runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Saturday, Oct. 19, it begins at 9:00 a.m. and ends approximately around 1:30 p.m.

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