Spellbound

Welcome to Hogwarts:

The course is titled "Radical Magic." A full description can be found here. You will need to do a bit of scrolling and there are some other courses that promise to be interesting. "Radical Magic" covers witchcraft, starting with the Salem Witch Trials through second-wave feminism to the present day. The description even takes time to bemoan the fact that Taylor Swift has been accused of including occult references in her performances. I'm not a Swift fan, so you will have to judge for yourself below. The description reads in part: We will explore the feminist and queer communities who have gravitated towards spells, incantations, and Tarot decks to provide a greater insight into a dominant world that was not made for them. Ah, there you go! I knew feminism and queerness would be in the mix somewhere! To wrap up the coursework: For your final project, you will create your own personal grimoire, or spell-book. Yes, you read that right—a spell book! This non-traditional assignment challenges the distinctions we often put between writing, crafting, art, and magic, and it will provide a space to try new things. Your grimoire will likely be playful, at times somber, but ultimately the tenor of your book will be defined by what excites you. (sic) Yes, the final project is a spell book. Any surprises?

Only if the spells actually work...