Study Finds Harry Potter Readers Lean Anti-Trump

A new study finds that those who have read the Harry Potter series multiple times are far more likely to be anti-Donald Trump.

More from Culturess

At first blush the Harry Potter Series doesn’t seem to strike parents and teachers as a political parable. But for those of us who have read the books multiple times (instead of just watching the movies), Rolwing’s subtle insertion of political morality into her stories is a strong plot thread. From characters like the Ministers of Magics, Cornelius Fudge and Rufus Scrimgeour, and their failures that stem from different flavors of political cowardice, to Voldemort himself, who goes full fascist upon taking over the wizarding government in the final novel, the later books are one long warning of what can happen when our leaders choose what is right over what is easy.

With that in mind, it’s no surprise today to see Politico, which is heavily mired in US politics, report that a new study shows that those who have read the Potter series multiple times are more likely to react badly to open displays of fascism, not to mention political cowardice in the face of it, such as are happening in the United States at the moment.

"The study out of the University of Pennsylvania, titled “Harry Potter and the Deathly Donald,” found that readers of the landmark fantasy series were more likely to report stronger dislike of the newly minted Republican nominee than non-readers. According to the findings, for every “Harry Potter” book read, dislike of Trump rose by two to three percentage points, with the gap between readers and non-readers climbing as high as 18 percentage points even when accounting for political affiliation, age, educational attainment and other relevant factors."

Now, this could also stem from J.K Rowling’s open political stances on Twitter, in which she herself has come out against Trump and his minions, comparing them to Voldemort and Death Eaters, and that her hardcore fans are merely parroting her beliefs. But one of the most important things that Rolwing also teaches in her novels is the idea of thinking for ourselves. And according to U. Penn spokesperson Julie Sloane, it seems that this is also a factor.

"“Harry may not be a full-on patronus against the Republican presidential nominee’s appeal, but reading Potter stories does appear to be a shield charm against Trump’s message."

To quote the study itself: “Because Trump’s political views are widely viewed as opposed to the values espoused in the Harry Potter series, exposure to the Potter series may play an influential role in influencing how Americans respond to Donald Trump.”

"“It may simply be too difficult for Harry Potter readers to ignore the similarities between Trump and the power-hungry Voldemort.”"

As for whether having more people read the series in the next four months can make a difference, one should exercise caution. The study seems to think so, but then again, Rowling, and most of the Potter alumni in the UK were against Brexit, and that didn’t stop it from passing in the UK. Just because in our favorite novels, love and kindness consistently triumph over aggression and prejudice does not mean that is how things will play out in real life. Instead we have to register to vote, and then show up at the polls on election day and make our voices that stand against abuse and cruelty heard over those who would roll back the freedoms of our time and the future of our world out of hatred and fear.

Home/Harry Potter