The Sociology of Harry Potter: 22 Enchanting Essays on the Wizarding World

by Unknown

  In the realm of international exchanges, simple contact or exposure to members of others cultures (groups) does not necessarily mean that students will get along or become friends. Unlike the Quidditch World Cup, where there is no direct interaction off the field between competing teams, in the Triwizard Tournament Harry and his fellow Hogwarts schoolmates are directly investing in the outcome of the contest. Dumbledore and the faculty seem to be concerned with presenting a positive image of Hogwarts to the visitors, indicating the strength of their identification as Hogwarts’ teachers. As host, the Hogwarts castle is cleaned, scrubbed and decorated in ways not only to shine in presentation, but also to instill pride among its students. The suits of armor are freshly polished, portraits have been de-grimed, and giant banners of the Hogwarts Houses and bearing the school’s coat of arms hang in the Great Hall.

  The tension Henry senses in the castle on the day the visitors are set to arrive shows that they really want to make a good impression. But upon arriving at Hogwarts some of the visitors’ comments indicate not all of them are impressed by Hogwarts. Tensions increase when visiting students disparage the name and image of Hogwarts because this results in an injury to a source of Hogwarts students’ pride, necessitating a corrective response in order to repair the damage to their self-concept. For example, when a student laughs derisively during Dumbledore’s welcome speech when he invites all to be comfortable and enjoy their stay, Hermione bristles and retorts, “No one’s making you stay!” (GOF 251). Although the Beauxbatons student doesn’t hear her, it is possible that Hermione’s comment itself is a corrective response in the face of Hogwarts castle’s magnificence. Later in the school year, at the Yule Ball, Fleur Delacour openly criticizes the Hogwarts decorations to Roger Davies:

  Zis is nothing…. At ze Palace of Beauxbatons, we ‘ave ice sculptures all around ze dining chamber at Chreestmas. Zey do not melt, of course…they are like ‘uge statues of diamond, glittering around ze place. And ze food is seemply superb. And we ‘ave choirs of wood nymphs, ’oo serenade us as we eat. We ’ave none of zis ugly armor in ze ’alls, and eef a poltergeist ever entaired into Beauxbatons, ’e would be expelled like zat. (GOF 418, emphasis in original)

  Fleur’s comments about the Beauxbatons Palace may be seen as a strategy to repair an injury to her own identity as a Beauxbatons’ student. In order to repair her positive sense of belonging to Beauxbatons Academy, she must expound on the positive dimensions of her own school, primarily the beauty of the palace. This process of dismissing Hogwarts’ castle as unimpressive and basically plain, illustrates an effort to recalibrate her self-concept back in the direction of the positive.

  An additional dimension of the interactions between students during the tournament is a phenomenon that also occurs within the context of Muggle international exchanges, the exoticizing of the foreign other, both in body and in language. Prior to the arrival of the representatives from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang at Hogwarts, rumors run rampant about the tournament, the tasks, but also how the students from the visiting school might be different from themselves. These visitors are unknown to Harry and his schoolmates; they are foreign, exotic and clearly a group of others. The category “other” refers to people who are distinguished from one’s own group or culture, in this case school and nation. The visiting students come from far off places, with clothes, accents and modes of transportation that are foreign and mysterious to Harry and his fellow classmates.

  One example of this exotification is the male Hogwarts students’ fascination and attraction to the Beauxbatons female students. Ron sums up the attitude in his exclamation, “I’m telling you, that’s not a normal girl!…They don’t make them like that at Hogwarts!” (GOF 252-253). Although Harry retorts by saying, “They make them okay at Hogwarts” (GOF 253) the implication that these girls are fundamentally different has already been expressed. During the opening feast Ron’s and other Hogwarts boys’ eyes can be seen following the bouncing bottoms of the Beauxbatons girls as they flutter into the Great Hall. One explanation for their difference is that some of the female students are part Veela. However, such a conclusion is in and of itself exotification. Native to Bulgaria, Harry and his friends see them for the first time at the Quidditch World Cup where they are the mascot for the Bulgarian national team. Veela are extraordinarily beautiful semi-human women who have the power to entrance men with their beauty; so it is not surprising that Ron explains his attraction to the Beauxbatons female students by labeling them as Veela. His attraction to these unique women positions the Hogwarts women as ordinary and not as desirable.

  It is this air of mystery and foreignness the tournament aims to lessen. In some ways, the goal is to make difference less stark and distinct, and more just shades along a spectrum of normality. At the year’s opening feast, Dumbledore instructs Hogwarts students to “extend every courtesy to our foreign guests while they are with us” (GOF 188). He sets the stage for the theme of the tournament, which is for students to not only encounter, but meaningfully engage with the visiting students in a way that reflects well upon the school. Meaningful engagement, rather than simple contact, is the prescription for successful intergroup contact (Henry and Hardin 2006). Bringing students of the three schools together in a meaningful way is a year-long project full of interesting encounters that show the strength of students’ identification with their respective schools because, despite the efforts of Dumbledore, the Hogwarts teachers, and the Ministry of Magic, the fact that the exchange is centered on a competition reinforces school affiliations and, in some instances, creates divisions between students of the three schools and among the students of Hogwarts.

  A Hogwarts Divided: Intergroup Conflict

  Upon first hearing about the competition, Hogwarts students want to support their school champion, whoever he or she might be, against the rival schools. However as the champion selection process gets under way, and students begin to submit their names for consideration, House divisions within Hogwarts become primary. The Goblet of Fire serves as the impartial selector of the tournament champions. As outlined in social identity theory, each individual has a number of identities that function in daily life – status characteristics like gender, class, race, and group affiliation. In the case of the Triwizard Tournament, the champion selection process highlights the salience of student affiliation with their Houses.

  Although the champion represents the entire school, students from each House would prefer a champion from their own House. A week before the champion selection, the names of students who may be submitting their name for consideration – Warrington, Diggory, Johnson – begin to fly around Hogwarts. “We can’t have a Slytherin champion!” (GOF 261) Harry exclaims regarding Warrington. “That idiot, Hogwarts champion?” (GOF 236) Ron remarks about Diggory. “I wouldn’t have thought he’d have wanted to risk his good looks” (GOF 261) Seamus says of him later. Harry, Ron and Hermione are excited, however, to hear that fellow Gryffindor Angelina Johnson put her name in the Goblet for consideration. “Well I’m glad someone from Gryffindor’s entering… I really hope you get it, Angelina!” Hermione said (GOF 261). “Yeah, better you than Pretty-Boy Diggory” Seamus added (ibid). It is clear that Harry and his classmates are viewing the champion selection through the narrow identity category of their respective Houses, rather than of the broader category of Hogwarts’ student. However, when Cedric is named as the Hogwarts’ champion Ron’s singular objection is drowned out by the thunderous applause of all the Hogwarts students. In the face of the other schools’ champions, the students became singularly unified in their support of Cedric as the Hogwarts champion and the common goal of winning the tournament for the honor of their school.

  Unfortunately, the Goblet of Fire names a second champion from Hogwarts and the division amongst students along House lines (and historic allegiances) is again brought to the forefront of Hogwarts’ student minds in the competition. The mysterious selection of two champions for Hogwarts – Cedric Diggory and Harry
Potter – divides the school, reinforcing social identities among House lines. The Gryffindors are behind Harry, throwing him an impromptu celebration in the Common Room following the selection ceremony. Angelina exclaims, “Oh if it couldn’t be me, at least it’s a Gryffindor” (GOF 285). Although none of them believe Harry didn’t put his name in the Goblet, that doesn’t seem to matter in light of the fact that he is from their House. If Harry were to win, the glory would belong to not only Hogwarts, but the Gryffindor House as well. It is this that makes students so invested in wanting the champion to be from their House.

  In addition to the process of enacting social identities based on House membership, non-Gryffindor students engage in antagonistic actions toward Harry and his fellow Gryffindors, exhibiting features of intergroup conflict. Such antagonistic behavior is characteristic of intergroup conflict when groups are competing for some outcome that each believes important – in this case the Triwizard Cup (Delamater and Myers 2007). A central characteristic of intergroup conflict is that members of each group strongly identify with their own group, applying positive attributes to their own group and negative attributes to the group with whom they are competing. In the days following the champion selection Hogwarts is divided. The Hufflepuffs rally behind Cedric, exhibiting quite cold behavior towards Harry and the Gryffindors. Harry interprets their coldness to feeling that Harry’s selection as co-champion somehow stole their champion’s thunder. Yet he is perplexed by the attitudes of the Ravenclaws, who also turn a cold shoulder toward Harry as a school champion. They justify this behavior with the belief that he intentionally disobeyed the rules by putting his name in the Goblet in order to garner more fame and notoriety. And while he did not expect anything but negativity on the part of the Slytherins because of his history with Malfoy, he is not prepared for the badges that read – Support Cedric Diggory – The REAL Hogwarts Champion! – in bright red letters; and – POTTER STINKS – in glowing green letters.

  But these divisions do not last the duration of the tournament. Following Harry and Cedric’s success in the first task against the dragons, these internal divisions within Hogwarts seem to lessen as students begin to understand that if either Harry or Cedric win, in the end, it is a win for Hogwarts. Harry sees fewer POTTER STINKS badges and does not sense as much open hostility from his schoolmates. The danger and success of the two champions in the first task seems to have facilitated the creation of a superordinate group identity, they are all once again Hogwarts students vying for a school win in the tournament. According to Hogg (2006) the resolution of intergroup conflict is achieved precisely in this manner. Although the Slytherins are somewhat resistant to this redefinition, the division and negative interactions between the school Houses are virtually eliminated once students have accepted this common in-group identity. But, the tournament is not only about the competition, but the day-to-day interactions of the students.

  Intergroup Contact Hypothesis Revisited: The Yule Ball

  A simultaneous goal of the tournament is student exchange; having students interact socially to begin building connections and relationships. From Harry’s perspective, it does not appear as though there is much mixing of the three schools on a social or day-to-day level. Students do not study together, and although Viktor is often seen in the Hogwarts’ library, it’s only to see Hermione. They share meals together, but sit apart. Most importantly they do not room together, instead staying on the Durmstrang ship moored on the Black Lake and in the giant Beauxbatons carriage in a paddock adjacent to Hagrid’s hut on the grounds. The exchange is unidirectional in that students only ever come to Hogwarts; there is no knowledge of any Hogwarts students setting foot in either of the visitor’s dwellings. When the visitor’s arrive, Ron has a fleeting idea of offering Krum space in the Gryffindor Tower. However fleeting, it does suggest some expectation or desire of a more integrated visit. Yet this does not happen. In the Muggle world of study abroad, exchanges of this type are problematic in facilitating interactions between visiting students and students of the host institution. Visiting student dorms and classes are sometimes separate from domestic students, so they very rarely interact socially. Visiting students do not really meaningfully interact with the locals in an everyday context, which is considered the ideal way of reaping the full benefits of the exchange experience. It’s not really until the Yule Ball that we are able to see some of the relationships that have been able to form despite limited contact.

  Students from the three schools mix freely at the Ball; and these inter-school pairings indicate that even though they are not formally exchanging in terms of academics, students from the three schools are interacting socially. The two biggest inter-school pairings at the Yule Ball are Viktor Krum with Hermione and Roger Davies with Fleur Delacour. During the evening, Parvati is asked to dance by a Beauxbatons student and soon her sister Padma goes to join them. Even Hagrid’s crush on Madam Maxime crosses school boundaries. There were also intra-school, inter House pairings like Cedric and Cho. In the end, as with most parties, the students seem to enjoy themselves. However, Ron’s response to Hermione attending with Viktor illustrates some classic inter-group conflict behavior.

  During the Yule Ball, Ron and Hermione have a conversation where Ron clearly articulates his resistance to the ideals of the exchange part of the tournament. At first his argument centers on his identification as a Hogwarts’ student in opposition to Krum’s Durmstrang:

  He’s from Durmstrang!... He’s competing against Harry! Against Hogwarts! You – you’re – ... fraternizing with the enemy, that’s what you’re doing! (GOF 421, emphasis in original)

  Krum’s otherness is summed up in Ron’s declaration that he is an enemy. There is clearly a competition between Hogwarts’ champions and particular others. Ron’s organizing the schools in this oppositional framework does not facilitate crossing any lines for friendship or connections of any kind. If lines are crossed, then allegiances are questioned. Ron implies inter-school connections like Hermione and Krum’s is not genuine, but serve some sinister or ulterior purpose for the non-Hogwarts individuals. According to Ron, Krum is “just trying to get closer to Harry – get inside information on him – or get near enough to jinx him” (GOF 422). Having a mindset of mistrust creates barriers for Ron to accepting or interacting with the visiting students. For him, befriending these others has a cost – losing the tournament. In his current state of mind, he refuses to accept the benefits of the exchanges. Even Hermione’s explanation of the aims of the tournament (“getting to know foreign wizards and making friends with them”) falls on deaf ears as he retorts “No it isn’t!... It’s about winning!” (GOF 423).

  For Ron, the tournament and exchanges with the visiting students is a zero-sum game, and trust or engagement will somehow cost them in the tournament. He can see nothing to gain from social interactions. Hermione argues for him to look beyond the immediate goal of winning the competition and think about the long-term value of engaging with the foreign wizards and witches. This engagement is expected to lead to greater international cooperation across the magical community. At its most basic cooperation is about shared responsibility and to some degree reciprocity, but motivated from a place of fairness.

  Parting of the Ways: Will the Ties Bind?

  The magical world is as diverse as the Muggle world, facing phenomena like globalization and rumors of a reemerging enemy. The Muggle Olympics that began more than 3000 years ago has been a long-standing project that is part of a larger movement to facilitate a better world through sports competition with an eye toward excellence, peace, friendship, and respect. Bringing peoples of the world together under a banner of friendly competition gives fans an opportunity to support athletes representing their nation and taking pride in their successes. People come together as individuals of different nations. Although peaceful relations is one goal of such events, recognizing global community membership and interdependence does not replace identifying as a citizen of one’s own nation. Putting
people in the same space does not guarantee they will interact or, if they do, that those interactions will necessarily be positive.

  It is evident that when encountering citizens of other nations one’s own citizenship and identity categories are made salient and perhaps brought to bear on their experience at the event. This is what happens when Harry attends the Quidditch World Cup. Any antagonism toward the competing team does not necessarily extend to interactions with other fans or beyond the actual game. But Harry does see that fans of either team do their best to make sure others know whom they are supporting. So their identity as a fan emerges in contrast to the presence of rival fans. There does not appear to be any antagonism directed toward the opposing team’s fans or national divisions within the groups of fans; unlike the inter-group distinctions and intra-group divisions that emerge during the Triwizard Tournament.

  One’s social identity is sharpened in the context of international travel, particularly student exchanges. Traveling to a foreign country as a student makes dimensions of identity salient in the face of foreign others. School affiliation, citizenship and other social characteristics that are personally meaningful shape patterns of engagement and interactions toward out-groups and its members. When compared to out-groups, if one’s self-concept is deficient by comparison, then students engage in corrective behaviors, often in antagonistic ways. The Triwizard Tournament acts as a mechanism for both unity and for division. School membership is made salient by the arrival and existence of visiting students. Divisions and allegiances within Hogwarts are hardened when two champions are selected. Student actions reinforce and support these social identities and fuel their antagonistic attitudes and actions toward the other students. However, despite these divisions, there are some positive interactions and bonds that emerge from the tournament.