Episodes Witch, Please

We're still on a break and gearing up for our seventh season all about Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Of course, we didn't want to leave you with nothing to listen to so please enjoy this unlocked Patreon perk: Witch, Please Tell Me! We do Q&A episodes every month for our $10+ tiers. They're goofy and meandering and very fun to record. You can submit a question to our Q&A through this google form. Be sure to follow us on social @ohwitchplease to stay totally up to date on all things Witch, Please. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We're in between seasons and thrilled to bring you a one-off bonus conversation with beloved podcasters Lark Malakai Gray and Jessie Blount. You may know them from Hashtag Ruthless, a podcast network that "creates hilarious chapter-by-chapter media analysis podcasts with a queer and trans focus." Lark and Jessie are the minds behind The Gayly Prophet, Esgaype from Reality, The Gay Pirate Podcast, and We are the Gayers. In this episode, they join Hannah and Marcelle to talk about their work with Fandom Forward, a rad nonprofit that brings activism to fan communities with free toolkits and activities.Like us at Witch, Please, Lark and Jessie (along with the whole team at Fandom Forward) are committed to ethically and intentionally engaging with fandoms. If you're someone whose ever thought about how fan spaces can be empowering, hurtful and everything in between, then this episode is for you! Tune in and find out more about Fandom Forward.Learn all about Lark and Jessie here! Read more about "Firing JKR" here.

In this episode, we wrap up Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and thus Season Six of Witch, Please. We talk Hermione in Granger Danger and fashion in Lewk Book, and of course we round out the episode with Marcelle's Devastating Fun Facts TM. Tune in for this goofy episode that gathers some loose threads but mostly just contains chatter about moments in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince that we were particularly tickled by.As always, you can become a Patreon Supporter for more perks and bonus content. If becoming a paying subscriber isn't in the cards right now, no stress! Please leave us a review instead — it truly helps sustain the show. For access to our transcripts, visit ohwitchplease.ca. To become a Patreon supporter head to Patreon.com/ohwitchplease. To stay in touch, follow us everywhere @ohwitchplease. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode we discuss Life Writing. We begin with a review of the monomyth and Structuralism, followed by a deep dive into the work of Sidonie Smith and Julia Watson. Using their book Reading Autobiography: A Guide for Interpreting Life Narratives, we consider the Pensieve in the Harry Potter series. How can we read the memories that go into it as life writing? What do we know from the texts about the 'credibility' or 'truthfulness' of each character's recollections? How does the unreliability of the Pensieve memories drive Harry's desire for honesty from the people around him?For access to our transcripts, visit ohwitchplease.ca. To become a Patreon supporter head to Patreon.com/ohwitchplease. To stay in touch, follow us everywhere @ohwitchplease. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode we dig into Marginalia! After a brief revision of our episodes on Print Culture and Fan Studies, we take a look at the it's long histoy using Heather Jackson’s book, Marginalia: Readers Writing in Books (2001). Marcelle begrudgingly leads us through the contribution of the Romantics (specifically Samuel Taylor Coleridge) and we ultimately get to take a long hard look at Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Not just the book! We actually get to think through Harry Potter and his relationship to the Half-Blood Prince! How can the history and study of marginalia help us think through young Snape's notes? Why are the annotations in Harry's Potions textbook so enticing? For access to our transcripts, visit ohwitchplease.ca. To become a Patreon supporter head to Patreon.com/ohwitchplease. To stay in touch, follow us everywhere @ohwitchplease. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode we are joined by Matt Potts, co-host of Harry Potter and the Sacred Text. Matt is a reverend and a professor at Harvard specializing in literature, literary theory and Christian theology. He joins us for an episode all about "the soul" in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. You'll hear that we can barely contain our excitement in this episode as we dig into theology for the first time, all while pulling on some theory and frameworks from our episodes on Hauntology and Critical Race Studies. Thanks to everyone who helped us reach our goal of having 1000 patrons by Hannah's birthday on May 25th. We re-scheduled our LIVE Witch Please Tell Me Q&A for this coming weekend, June 4th at 1 pm Pacific so you can still become a Patron this week if you want to join our live show! Just visit Patreon.com/ohwitchplease. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week we get into Security Theatre — and what a timely topic it is! We go over what we learned from Book 3, Episode 6 with Mercedes Eng who walked us through the carceral logics of the Wizarding World. And we review Book 4, Episode 2 about the nation state and the way Benedict Anderson theorized nations as “imagined communities” that are imagined as limited, sovereign, and in need of protection. Then we play a game Cloaks or Hoax! A goofy opportunity for Hannah to make Marcelle laugh before deciding which security measures from the Ministry are performative and which ones might actually keep people safe. Followed by a breakdown of Security Theatre as understood by Bruce Schneier in his 2003 book Beyond Fear: Thinking Sensibly About Security in an Uncertain World. This episode is a great listen for those of you trying to make sense of the "safety measures" put into place after 9/11 that we still encounter two decades later (not to mention how those persist in stark contrast to the rapidly lifted mask

In this episode, we're talking about Masculinity Studies with our special guest, Aspen! We begin with a brief review of our episodes Feminist Theory, Celebrity Studies, Trans Studies and Chosen One Narratives (just to name a few) before getting into a discussion about masculinity in the Wizaiding World. Aspen offers us a brief historical overview of the roots of Masculinity Studies, as well as an analysis of the field's shortcomings and ever-evolving scope. We learn a bit about Gayle Rubin's work, Rae Wyn Connell’s groundbreaking book Masculinities, Dana D. Nelson's National Manhood, and other contributors to the growing field. Tune in for an episode that digs into Harry and Draco's respective indoctrinations, and takes a closer look at the way masculinity is defined, created and policed in the series.Help us hit 1000 Patreon supporters before May 20th! Reaching 1000 supporters would be a financial game-changer for us and we're promising you a LIVE Witch, Please Q&A if we reach the goal! You can become a

Hey friends! Please skip this episode if that feels right for you. We'll be back in two weeks and we want you to take care of yourselves first!In this episode, we discuss Rape Culture. We begin with a brief review of our episodes about discourse, queer theory and classism before diving into the pervasiveness of rape culture in our daily lives and in the Harry Potter series. We'll dig into what it means that Ron feels entitled to be angry at Hermione's interest in other men, how Harry comes to understand he has a crush on Ginny, the role of love potions in the Half-Blood Prince (and in Voldemort's family history), and so much more.Note: In this episode we quote from a New Statesmen article by Laurie Penny. While Penny's article is a useful source in unpacking rape culture in the west, our citations are not endorsements for either the author or the publication.And a heads up! If you join our Patreon at the Prefect tier before May 1st, you'll receive our forthcoming enamel pin in the mail! You'll also help us in

In this episode, we are talking ghosts! Tune in for a conversation with our guest, Lydia, as we consider Hauntology as an analytical tool for better understanding the Harry Potter series — specifically the Half-Blood Prince. Lydia guides us through a revisitation of Jacques Derrida and an introduction to Avery Gordon (among others) who ask us to consider the meaning of absences in narratives, histories, and our own imaginations. What haunts Harry? What haunts the Wizarding World in the aftermath of a war? What haunts the Harry Potter series in 2022? Tune in for a truly epic conversation that leans on our episodes about the Gothic, Critical Race Studies, Disability Studies, Trauma and others to establish an exciting new framework for us to explore.And a heads up! If you join our Patreon at the Prefect tier before April 15th, you'll receive our forthcoming enamel pin in the mail! As always, you can become a Patreon Supporter at any tier for more perks and bonus content. If becoming a paying subscriber isn't in

In this episode, we begin Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by revisiting pedagogy! If you've enjoyed our past episodes about the professors at Hogwarts then you will love this episode digging into Horace Slughorn, Severus Snape, and (if you believe it) Albus Dumbledore! Tune in for a conversation based around the article “Collectors, Nightlights, and Allies, Oh My: White Mentors in the Academy,” by Dr. Martinez-Cola, an assistant professor of sociology at Morehouse College. Martinez-Cola's research largely focuses on the critical comparative study of race, class, and gender as it relates to culture, social movements, and comparative/historical sociology — which is all very helpful when trying to understand the way professors in this series are helpful, hurtful, or both to their students.And a heads up! If you join our Patreon at the Prefect tier before April 1st, you'll receive our forthcoming enamel pin in the mail! As always, you can become a Patreon Supporter at any tier for more perks and bonus

This week we’re releasing some insider Patreon bonus content instead of a regular episode! Please enjoy this #WitchPleaseTellMe Q&A from May 2021. It’s a goofy little episode where we talk about our favorite lipsticks, where to store “eating chocolate,” and books that changed us! Join at the $10 USD/month tier (Wizarding World Feminist Utopia) to gain access to over a year of bonus episodes, unedited episodes from our original run, and #WitchPleaseTellMe Q&As. Hot Tip: If you choose to pay annually, you’ll get 10% off. If becoming a paying subscriber isn't in the cards right now, no stress! Please leave us a review instead — it truly helps sustain the show. Of course, you can always follow us on Instagram or Twitter @ohwitchplease to stay connected. Thanks for listening and thanks for your support!We’ll be back with a new episode on March 22nd all about Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, we wrap up The Order of the Phoenix, and thus Season Five of Witch, Please. We talk Hermione in Granger Danger and fashion in Lewk Book. We make a list of what we want to keep our eyes on in the coming book and round out the episode with Marcelle's Devastating Fun Facts TM (all of which make Hannah cry). Tune in for this wild episode that gathers some loose threads but mostly just contains chatter about moments in The Order of the Phoenix that we were particularly tickled by.Heads up, in two weeks we will be putting out content usually reserved for our Patreon subscribers! So stay tuned and be sure to follow the show so you're notified when we release that extra special episode. As always, you can become a Patreon Supporter for more perks and bonus content. If becoming a paying subscriber isn't in the cards right now, no stress! Please leave us a review instead — it truly helps sustain the show. Of course, you can always follow us on Instagram or Twitter @ohwitchplease to stay connected. See

In this episode we're joined by Aisha Wilks (she/her) for a dive into Mad Studies. Pulling on past episodes about Disability Studies, Critical Race Theory, Lycanthropy as Metaphor, PTSD and The Prison Industrial Complex, we take a look at St. Mungo's, the Longbottoms, Luna Lovegood and other representations of madness throughout Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Aisha guides us through a review of the social and medical models of disability — and helps us understand the "good" and "bad" mad characters who exist within the series. If Order of the Phoenix isn't your favorite book because of Harry's attitude and general dismay, then this episode is for you! Not only are you in good company (Aisha is not a fan of this particular book), but you may also walk away with some more insight as to why it doesn't work for you!Content Warning: We just want to give you a heads up that we discuss mental illness, suicide, forced incarceration — and trauma more generally. Of course do what's best for you and skip thi

In this episode Marcelle leads us through an overview of famous Edmontonian and Media Studies scholar, Marshall McLuhan! We tackle McLuhan's “Tetrad of Media Effects” (a chart!) and use it to think through the DA's gold coins, Umbridge's Educational Decrees, The Daily Prophet, and other forms of communication that flood Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. We also draw on previous episodes about ideology, class, magical capital, books and archives.We're pretty sure this is the most fun two people have ever had with McLuhan's work but maybe you'll listen and have even MORE fun. Let us know by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to your shows!And don't forget, if you become a Patreon Supporter TODAY you can join our LIVE Witch, Please Tell Me Q&A on Saturday, January 29th, at 1 pm Pacific. Patrons at every tier are invited to attend this Zoom Webinar where we'll be answering your questions in real time! If you can't attend, don't fret! We will release the video footage through Pa

In this episode, we are joined by jaye simpson to talk about centaurs! jaye is an Oji-Cree Saulteaux Indigiqueer from the Sapotaweyak Cree Nation. They are a writer, advocate and activist published in several magazines including Poetry Is Dead, This Magazine, PRISM international, SAD Magazine: Green, GUTS Magazine, SubTerrain, Grain and Room. They are in two anthologies: Hustling Verse (2019) and Love After the End (2020). jaye joins us to discuss Firenze and the characterization of centaurs in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.You can follow jaye on Twitter @fka_jayesimpson and support their GoFundMe for gender affirming care, here. They're the best and deserve all the love — which will be obvious when you listen to this fun and engaging episode!***Shoutout to everyone who helped us reach our $5000 USD/month goal by becoming Patrons or upgrading their Patreon Tier. Everyone who joined our Patreon, no matter the tier, is invited to attend a LIVE recording of #WitchPleaseTellMe (our Q&A series) on

Hey Witches! We’re dropping this Bonus Episode into your feed as a little end-of-year thank you for everything you’ve done to make the Witch, Please reboot such a success. You’ve listened to the show, shared it with family and friends, and joined our Patreon. Instead of making resolutions for the New Year, give yourself the gift of bonus content from Witch, Please by joining at the $2, $5, $10, $13, or $30 tier! We are releasing the Zoom footage from our recording on our Patreon — so you can listen to this bonus episode as a podcast, but if you become a Patron, you can WATCH us chaotically record it with a crying, barfing baby-screwt. If you pay annually, you’ll get 10% off and if you join before January 1st, you’ll help us unlock a Live Witch, Please Tell Me Q&A for all patrons. We're hoping to $5000/month and we're just inches away!If becoming a patron is currently not in the financial cards — we get it! You can support our work by continuing to share the show with your hot

In this episode, we take a closer look at the range of shapeshifters we meet in the Harry Potter series. Between Animagi, Werewolves, Metamorphmagi, Veelas, and Boggarts there is a lot to cover— and we need the Greeks, scholar Llewelyn Negrin, a history of Calvinism, and, of course, Judith Butler, to do it!Join us for a discussion on shapeshifting, as we apply what we've learned from our episodes on lycanthropy, female monstrosity and animal studies, to take a closer look at Nymphadora Tonks, in particular. Let's get to know one of the most beloved queer icons from the Wizarding World a bit better, shall we?Note: The sound on this episode is a little funky because we recorded it in-person! Just know that any hiccups you hear (other than the ones caused by Baby Blast-Ended Screwt) are the price we paid to enjoy one another's company during an in-person recording for the first time in two years!***We are running a Holiday Patreon Drive! If we earn $5000 USD/month from our Patreon by January 1st, 2022, we are go

Well Witches, we finally did it — we recorded an episode about fan studies and fan-fiction. And our wonderful guest, Amanda K. Allen (she/her), made it possible! Amanda is a professor of Children’s Literature at Eastern Michigan University who she came onto the show to discuss fan fiction conventions and genre at the intersection of power, adolescence, and the early days of the internet. Join us as we explore the rich history and legacy of fan-fiction through Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Content Warning: We discuss the taboo nature of some fan fiction "ships" (i.e. Snape/Hermione and Hermione/McGonagall), as well as some tropes and conventions of non-consent, coercion and forced marriage and reproduction. For listeners interested in understanding the ethics surrounding fan fiction writers' tendency to include graphic and disturbing elements within fan fiction (rape, non-consensual situations, torture, etc.), an excellent and helpful text is Kristina Busse's Framing Fan Fiction: Literary and

This week we dig into publics! The Order of the Phoenix is absolutely brimming with secret, self-organized clubs and we're taking some time to consider how they're formed, what makes them powerful and why we see similarities between the Order, the Death Eaters and Dumbledore's Army. Join us as we defamiliarize the very idea of organizing through Michael Warner's definition of publics, building on what we already know about ideology and discourse. It's a good one folks!Stay connected and follow Witch, Please on Twitter and Instagram @ohwitchplease and let us know what you think of the episode through a review on Apple Podcasts. As always, you can join our Patreon for exclusive content including bonus interviews, Q&As, Watch Alongs and more — our tiers range from $2-$13! For Witch, Please merch visit our TeePublic shop. Your support keeps this show running!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.