Dempster, Steve, et al. “What has Harry Potter Done for Me? Children’s Reflections on their ‘Potter Experience’.” Children’s Literature in Education, vol. 47, 2016, pp. 267-282.
The importance of Harry Potter as a global cultural phenomenon is explored by scholars from the perspective of literacy as a part of social practices. The authors suggested that reading the book series enabled young readers to build a strong vocabulary and other literacy skills. It was also considered that the series improved younger readers’ attitudes toward reading and encouraged further literary exploration. The study is useful because it illustrates the importance of Harry Potter books within popular culture through the lens of improving young readers’ literacy.
Kidd, Dustin. “Harry Potter and the Functions of Popular Culture.” The Journal of Popular Culture, vol. 40, no. 1, 2007, pp. 69-89.
The research studies the Harry Potter book franchise from the standpoint of popular culture functions. These include social behavior, community characteristics, the differentiation between social classes, cultural elements ranging from music to visual art, and more. The author suggests that by way of example, Harry Potter remains a very important source of social norms. It is also categorized as an “illegitimate extra-curricular culture” that became a shared interest for many individuals, thus creating a pop culture phenomenon that is closely connected to societal changes, trends, and developments.
Lauer, Emily, and Balaka Basu. The Harry Potter Generation: Essays on Growing Up with the Series. McFarland & Company, 2019.
The collection of essays contains the opinions of adults who grew up reading Harry Potter. The essays explore the way in which the books influenced people’s coming of age, the way in which they matured together with Harry and his friends, and the lessons they learned along the way. The source is highly relevant to the current discussion about the importance of Harry Potter in pop culture because it draws from real-life examples and reflections of individuals who were growing up reading the book and engaging with the magical narrative.
Benson, Jenna. “Violence in Pop-Culture Media and The Hunger Games as a Prime Artifact.” Platform, vol. 5, no. 1, 2013, pp. 52-66.
The researcher aims to criticize the assertion that exposure to violence in popular culture literature and cinema is inappropriate for younger audiences, drawing examples from The Hunger Games books and movies. The franchise was chosen for analysis because of its high importance as a pop culture artifact targeted at teens and young adults and is an example of the exposure of the age group to the regularly displayed and described violence. Therefore, the author seeks to raise awareness of the misconceptions, claiming that exposure to violence is a necessary part of learning about the world.
Ruthven, Andrea. “The Contemporary Postfeminist Dystopia: Disruptions and Hopeful Gestures in Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games.” Feminist Review, vol. 116, no. 1, 2017, pp. 47-62.
Through analyzing The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins, the author considers the different ways in which modern post-feminism can relate to a dystopic narrative. The book series is essential within the popular culture context because it has a female protagonist, Katniss Everdeen. Through the ethics of care and the heteronormative narrative disruption provides a new alternative to the present social structures. In the world of Katniss, female empowerment was a crucial part of growing up. Her example of a strong young woman is important for pop culture because it enables social participation and advocacy for the rights of the oppressed.
Sandoe, Kathryn. “Hungry for Justice: The Hunger Games and Developing an Activist Identity in Women Fans.” Etda Libraries, 2017.
In their study, the researcher aimed to examine popular culture as an educational context in which women can learn about their social roles. Using the example of The Hunger Games franchise, the author focused on how the series helped younger audiences learn about the importance of activism and advocating for social justice. The source is important for the understanding of the social value of The Hunger Games because it reveals data acquired from real-life participants who have read the books and watched the movies. Their experiences are vital for illuminating the influence of the franchise on pop culture.