Harry Potter and Convergence Culture ― Essays on Fandom and the Expanding Potterverse

Since the 1997 publication of the first Harry Potter novel, the “Potterverse” has seen the addition of eight feature films (with a ninth in production), the creation of the interactive Pottermore© website, the release of myriad video games, the construction of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios, several companion books (such as Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them), critical essays and analyses, and the 2016 debut of the original stage play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. This collection of new essays interprets the Wizarding World beyond the books and films through the lens of convergence culture. Contributors explore how online communities tackle Sorting and games like the Quidditch Cup and the Triwizard Tournament, and analyze how Fantastic Beasts and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child are changing fandom and the canon alike.

Amanda Firestone is an assistant professor at the University of Tampa in the Department of Communication, teaching media studies and digital identity. Leisa A. Clark has published on women’s issues in the classroom and on Xena: Warrior Princess. She lives in St. Petersburg, Florida.