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Call for Papers

Accio UK is aimed at both academics and adult fans of the Harry Potter series. The Programming Committee is therefore inviting proposals from both sectors for presentations, moderated panels, debates and workshops on any topic relating to the Harry Potter phenomenon.

Suggested Topics for Presentations, Panels and Workshops

Topics may include, but are certainly not limited to:

• Characterisation: Archetypal yet unconventional or merely one-dimensional stereotypes? The scope here is enormous, and papers are welcomed on individual/group character studies or thematic overviews.
• Religious Studies: Religious and spiritual responses and interpretations of the series.
• Social Issues, including:
  • Gender Studies: the role of women in the Harry Potter Series.
  • Race Relations in HP: Real and analogous.
  • Class portrayal: A pretence of meritocracy?
• Legal Issues: The Legal System, Government and Justice in the Wizarding World.
• Comparative Studies: Areas of interest within this area include:
  • Religion. How various religious groups use the series and how this compares with treatment of other fantasy series by authors such as CS Lewis, Tolkien, Philip Pullman.
  • The phenomenon and appeal of "Cross-Over" literature (e.g., Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy), and the serious life issues this recently classified genre frequently explores.
• Mythopoeia, Etymology and other sources of inspiration: How appreciation of JK Rowling's use of "what has gone before" is important to our understanding of the series.
• Education: The inclusion of the Harry Potter series in curricula (from primary education through to graduate studies) and dealing with the issues involved. For example, for those educating pre-teens, the treatment of death in the series. An Educator's perspective on teaching in the Wizarding World.
• The Heroic Quest: What makes a Hero? Could include discussion of predestination and the idea of the "Chosen One" and the much stressed concept of individual choice.
• Alchemy and Symbolism: The search for the Philosopher's Stone, Hidden Meanings within the text, and other Gnostic Elements.
• Concepts of Power: The Battle between Good and Evil and the controversial depiction of "grey" areas.
• Fandom Concerns: May include:
  • Battles with Interpretation, including character portrayal and their potential relationships in the series (and beyond).
  • Fanfiction and Intellectual Property issues.
  • Reinventing the Series: The relationship between a continuing series and the fanfiction community.
  • Reclaiming the Canon: JK Rowling's relationship with the online fandom community.

Time Blocks

Two concurrent tracks will run over two days of programming. Time blocks in multiples of 30 minutes will be available: proposals should therefore specify the estimated amount of time required for the presentation, and should also indicate how much of that time will be made available for post-talk discussion / Q&A sessions.

Submissions - Deadline: 31st December 2004

Proposals should be either an abstract (500 word max) or a completed conference paper (4000 word max). We are accepting e-mail submissions only, and any attachments should be in Microsoft Word.

Please send to the following address, including "Accio 2005 Proposal Submission" in the subject line: submissions@accio.org.uk.

Selected Presenters will be notified by week ending 31st January 2005, and will be expected to register for the conference when confirming that they will be present. Presenters are expected to submit a conference paper for publication in the Proceedings by 21 June 2005. This paper should be no greater than 4,000 words. Please note that publication in the Proceedings will be dependent upon attendance.

Attendees

All presenters and participants must be at least 18 years of age, as Accio is an adults-only event.

Disclaimers

Accio UK is an unofficial event and is not endorsed by JK Rowling or her representatives, Warner Bros., or the Harry Potter book publishers.

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