The theme of xenophobia in J. K. Rowling’s fixion series ‘Harry Potter’

The object: xenophobia. The purpose: to draw attention to this problem and retrace how it is revealed in the contemporary British literature. The main tasks: to determine the term “xenophobia”; to study the history of this phenomena in Britain; to study the way a modern British author tells us about this problem in her books (symbols, characters, allusions).

The methods of research: the method of study of documents (educational and scientific literature, dictionaries); literary analysis of the fiction series by J.K. Rowling “Harry Potter”; the usage of Internet; public opinion poll.

Xenophobia is a fear or contempt of that which is foreign or unknown, especially of strangers or foreign people. It comes from the Greek words ξένος (xenos), meaning "foreigner," "stranger," and φόβος (phobos), meaning "fear." The term is typically used to describe fear or dislike of foreigners or in general of people different from oneself.

Objects of xenophobia Population group Cultural elements

Extraterrestrial

Types of discrimination: Race discrimination Age discrimination Gender discrimination Disability discrimination Language discrimination

The UK is a multicultural, multireligious and multinational country.

‘The White Man’s Burden’ by Rudyard Kipling Take up the White Man's burden Send forth the best ye breed Go bind your sons to exile To serve your captives' need; To wait in heavy harness On fluttered folk and wild Your new-caught, sullen peoples, Half devil and half child. ‘The White Man’s Burden’ by Rudyard Kipling Твой жребий – Бремя Белых! Как в изгнанье, пошли Своих сыновей на службу Темным сынам земли; На каторжную работу, Нету ее лютей, - Править тупой толпою То дьяволов, то детей. (Перевод В. Топорова)

J. K. Rowling is a British writer and author of the Harry Potter fantasy series.

Public opinion poll

Public opinion poll

Public opinion poll

Race, religious and national discrimination are absent in the magical world…

The World of Magicians The World of Muggles The Dursleys

Pureblood magicians

Pureblood magicians Arthur Weasley

Mudblood Pureblood magicians Half-blood Death Eaters The discrimination ideas are the bases of Death Eaters’ ideology. The Death Eaters seek the total destruction of Muggle roots. Prejudice and discrimination in the Wizard world in some cases deep-rooted to the level of apartheid.

Squib is the term applied to a child born of magical parents but possessing no magical ability. Squibs are encouraged to integrate into the Muggle world, which is "much kinder" than keeping them in the magical world, where they will always be "second-class" – disabled.

Mudblood Hermione Granger Daughter of two British dentists.The most talented student of Hogwarts .Was brought up in the modern British society which has admitted the necessity of multicultural and national tolerance Mudblood She cares so much about the exploitation of elves. She created the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare, or S.P.E.W.

Magic Races

Here lies Dobby a Free Elf

The Battle at Hogwarts

To my mind J.K. Rowling managed to express the appeal for necessity of respect to “the alien” and acknowledgement of their being unique. We can’t force people assimilate with the majority, we should value the cultural diversity of our world and cherish individuality.

Thank you for your attention!