downthefallfullpassagain

While traveling I listened to many episodes of Harry Potter and the Sacred Text , a podcast series. Along with excellent content, the two hosts have done something remarkable with the podcast's approach: active re-treatment of a text. Since JK Rowling's reputation for trans-phobia emerged, the Harry Potter series has fallen in status among my generation. My friend Emily tipped me off that this podcast is disaggregating the words from their author, much as studies of the great religious texts can regard them as stand-alone objects regardless of their authorship. In such analysis, the critical reader assumes purpose within every detail and encourages reflection on small things. After all, it is small things that make the whole. (These religious studies / literature practices, moreover, are in accord with neighboring academic "turns," such as how in object-oriented philosophy all things [including texts] are assumed to have irreducible qualities shimmering within and aro...