Teaching Note: The Spell Craft of Social Work: Harry Potter and Social Justice

Abstract

J. K. Rowling's popular Harry Potter series describes a magical world of witches and wizards that exists in the ordinary world. Captivating an entire generation, Harry Potter is a lore that can teach today's undergraduate social work students about the power of advocacy for social change and the pursuit of social justice. Activating Millennial motivation, this cultural phenomenon provides themes, characters, and magical environments exploring identity, human development, trauma, families, oppression, privilege, power structures, groups, and diversity. For instance, how does studying at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry illuminate the intersectionality of identities in our pluralistic society? How does Draco Malfoy's exploration of his pureblood privilege and prejudice reflect White guilt and racism? And most poignantly, what role does Harry Potter play as change agent? This article takes us into the Pensieve to describe the scaffolding development of the course titled The Spell Craft of Social Wo...