Formal Programming
Check out the Ascendio Call For Papers! Ascendio, and the wonderful programming you want to attend, is totally and completely in your hands. We welcome proposals from every types of attendee — academics, shippers, crafters, artists, cos-players, fanfic writers, WizardRock artists & fans, authors and more! If you’re ready to submit your proposal, you can do so here – or keep reading this page to learn more about the types of programming sessions we hope to host at Ascendio, and how to submit your proposal.
As at past HPEF events, almost all of our formal programming sessions are attendee-generated, which means that we ask you, the Ascendio attendee, to host discussions, lead round tables, and, if your academic or fannish interests lie in that direction, even present a paper about a specific Harry Potter-focused or -inspired topic. Past programming sessions have included Creating a Byronic Hero: Severus Snape and the Gothic Fathers of Harry Potter; Creating Without Canon: Writing Next-Gen Fanfic; Norm-Formation, Inconsistency and the Rule of Law in the Wizarding World; When Fans Become Activists, and more. You can see a range of topics, concepts and discussions that were presented at our last two events at the websites for Infinitus and Azkatraz.
Our conference theme this year, Taking Flight, echoes the many breathtaking heights and perilous flights throughout the Harry Potter series: we recall Fawkes’s mournful exodus from Hogwarts after the death of Dumbledore; Harry’s sheer joy on his wild dive to catch Neville’s Remembrall; the thrills of Quidditch (both in and out of the book!); Harry, Ron and Hermione’s escape from Gringotts on the back of a dragon; and the three “flights” that shaped the life of Sirius Black, among many other gravity-defying moments. Beyond the literal flights of fancy, there’s the wider theme of rising above challenges — a common theme in Harry’s life, and that of all his friends and family. The possibilities for discussion are endless.
Proposals are sought for presentations, papers, moderated panels, and workshops on any topic relating to the Harry Potter universe and/or the fan community. Special evening sessions will be scheduled for adult programming, and we encourage proposals for a wide range of content.
We welcome programming of all shapes and sizes, including:
- Experiences within Pottermore
- Workshops, including but not limited to crafts, fanart & writing techniques
- Fan-created media, including WizardRock, vidding and more
- Explorations of book-canon & movie-canon
- Discussions of fanfiction and shipping (both het & slash pairings)
- The real-world implications of Harry Potter, transformative works and fan culture
What are the different types of programming? Generally, programming can be broken down into lectures/papers, discussion panels, roundtables and workshops. Read about each type to decide what format will work best for your idea. If you’re not sure, feel free to ask us!
- LECTURES – Lecture-style presentations on a chosen topic typically involve one person lecturing and teaching in front of a large audience, with Q & A time incorporated.
- DISCUSSION PANELS – A discussion panel typically consists of a few people presenting a topic and discussing and/or critically analyzing it, preferably with a moderator to enforce structure and order. The discussion panel should allow time for questions/comments from the audience, or incorporate other means of audience participation.
- ROUNDTABLES – A roundtable chat is comprised of a group of people having a structured discussion on a chosen topic, hosted by a moderator.
- WORKSHOPS – A workshop is a session that focuses on training and teaching participants about a specific subject or skill. This format generally consists of a small group of people instructing a large group of participants.
More information, including the Call for Readings, Call for Art and Call for Crafters, will appear here when the time comes.
