UIS Speaker Series examines gender roles using J.K. Rowling’s beloved world of Harry Potter

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speaker Series will delve into the issue of gender roles with some of the most famous fictional characters of modern times in “Hermione Granger and Other Characters: Gender in the World of Hogwarts.”

WHEN: Tuesday, October 13, 2015 at 6:00 p.m.

WHERE: UIS Brookens Auditorium, located on the lower level of Brookens Library

DETAILS: Using excerpts from the novel “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” University of Illinois Springfield Associate Professor of Women and Gender Studies Heather Dell will offer analysis and lead discussion about the way key characters are gendered in Rowling’s world.

How do girls and boys attempt to gain standing among their peers, families and teachers in this novel? Does co-ed quidditch offer us a good model for equal opportunity in sports? Rowling’s world offers an excellent opportunity to explore both the limits of her vision and the ways she opens our minds to not just tolerance, but acceptance.

Heather Dell grew up with parents who loved England. She has been recognized with the UIS Pearson Award and by the Capital Scholars Honors Program for excellence in teaching. As a cultural anthropologist, she has conducted research in India, Canada, Nicaragua, England and the Netherlands.

For a list of other upcoming ECCE Speaker Series events and more information, visit www.uis.edu/speakerseries/. All events are free and open to the public.