The fourth MuggleNet Academia [MNA] podCast, a show that I co-host with MuggleNet’s Keith Hawk, is now available for uploading and for your Serious Reader critique! Here is how MuggleNet describes the Law show over at the program’s MNA page, with a list of links for the program right after:
The latest episode of MuggleNet Academia is now released for your listening and learning pleasure. Lesson 4: The Law and Harry Potter discusses the law in the Muggle World as it compares to the law as seen in the Wizarding World as well as how events in the Hogwarts Saga would be viewed in an American court room.
During each Academia program, Keith Hawk from MuggleNet and John Granger, the Hogwarts Professor, discuss a variety of topics relating to the Harry Potter series with one guest that is an author or professor with a particular expertise and another guest that is a student. This show, we welcome Judge Karen Morris, author of the book Law Made Fun Through Harry Potter, to the program and Washington D.C. Lawyer and Potter Pundit Tim Slattery, who plays the role of our ‘student.’
We open the show with a comparison of British Law to American Law for comparison purposes and then we jump right into discussion of:
- Capital Punishment – How does the Death Penalty compare to the Dementor’s Kiss?
- Unforgivable Curses – Should they all be punished with a Life Sentence in Azkaban?
- Identity Theft and Polyjuice Potion – Is there a meaningful difference? How does Polyjuice differ from the Unforgivable Imperius Curse?
- Assisted Suicide – Should Snape be considered a Murderer? Or does the war with the Dark Lord excuse this killing?
Veritaserum and Self Incrimination – At the end of Goblet, was Dumbledore acting illegally giving Barty Crouch Jr. Veritaserum without first reading him his rights? How is Dumbledore different than Umbridge in her use of Veritaserum against Harry and others?
- Slavery and House Elf rights – Would the treatment of elves fall under the Equal Protection Act in a Muggle Courtroom?
- Squibs – Is their second-class status in the magical community into which they are born because of their incapacity to perform magic discriminatory and prejudicial? Would they be protected by Muggle laws that protect the disabled or handicapped?
- Rights of Minors – Are those Search and Seizure procedures at the Hogwarts entrance gate in Half-Blood Prince reckless and unjustified assaults against these children?
- and More!
To learn about the Law and how it relates to the Wizarding World of the Harry Potter series, you can download the lesson right here, or head on over to iTunes to listen. You can also listen directly from Facebook.
We ask all fans to fill in the short survey so we can learn the listener demographics for future shows. Also, we would appreciate your review and ratings of the show on the iTunes website. Your feedback is very important to us.
For information on the lessons, professors, news in the academic world, or Harry Potter reference books, head over to the MuggleNet Academia section.
Enjoy the show!
Read about the first three shows, ‘Getting Serious About Series’ here and ‘Harry Potter and Sexuality’ here and ‘On Translations’ here.
MuggleNet Academia [MNA] Quick Links:
At one of the sessions at the “Replacing Wands with Quills” symposium last fall a teacher talked about a mock-trial she did in a civics class in which the class put Harry on trial for “assault with a deadly weapon” for his use of Sectumsempra on Draco Malfoy. She said it was surprising how many classes found him guilty!
I’m really enjoying this series so far, John. Great topics and interesting speakers all. Keep up the good work!
I’ve only just started listening to MuggleNet Academia, and I’m finding it fascinating! There is one crucial point the panel missed, however, in discussing the Dementor’s kiss as performed on Barty Crouch, Jr. There is a reason it was performed so quickly and with no trial. That reason is that Fudge wanted to silence him in order to prevent him from corroborating Harry’s account of Voldemort’s return. Dumbledore knew this, and stated it outright.