Accio 2008 Programming Schedule Announced!

[Phyllis]

The Accio Programming Committee is pleased to announce the 
programming schedule for Accio 2008, a conference to be held at 
Magdalen College from 25-27 July 2008 that will bring together 
academics and adult fans to discuss the Harry Potter series in the 
Hogwarts- like setting of the University of Oxford. 

Accio 2008 seeks to enhance the appreciation of J.K. Rowling's novels 
as works of literature in her home country.   Subjects of discussion 
include character analyses (with an emphasis on the Dumbledore 
revelations in Book Seven and beyond); a literary look at wizard 
rock; psychological analyses and religious themes.

The complete programming schedule may be found here: 
http://www.accio.org.uk/programme.shtml .

Two guest speakers will complement the formal programming sessions.  
Dr. Emer O'Sullivan will present "The Wronsky Feint and Other 
Devices: Self-Reflective and Prophetic Narration in the Harry Potter 
Novels," which will discuss strategies of narration in the Potter 
novel , particularly those used by Rowling to distract the reader 
from important details that later prove to be important.  Dr. 
O'Sullivan is Professor of English Literature at Leuphana University 
in Lüneburg, Germany.  She has published widely in both German and 
English on image studies, children's literature and translation and 
has received international recognition for her work in comparative 
children's literature studies.  

Gillian Hall will present "Lost in Translation? The Harry Potter 
Canon on Film," which will explore the differences between reading a 
novel and watching a film and discuss whether the films gain fresh 
life in translation.  Professor Hall is a Sessional Lecturer at 
Reading University.   Film has always been one of her particular 
interests and she recently taught a highly-regarded course in 
children's literature and film entitled 'From Snow White to Harry 
Potter.'

A limited number of registrations are still available but must be 
reserved prior to 1 April 2008.  For more information or to register 
for the conference, please visit: 
http://www.accio.org.uk/index.shtml .