Magical Conversations: Professor Julian Wamble’s Journey from Teaching to Podcasting

In this episode, Morgan interviews Professor Julian Wamble, known for his viral TikTok videos, new top-rated podcast Critical Magic Theory, as well as his course on Harry Potter and Social Identity at George Washington University. Professor Wamble shares insights on Greek mythology, music, fanfiction, and the resilience of the Harry Potter fandom. He also discusses the inception of his podcast, which provides a platform for more profound and critical examinations of Harry Potter characters and themes. In addition, Julian shares his thoughts about turning passion into work, the role of perfectionism in creativity, and his perception of what it means to be a nerd. 00:18 Introduction and Thanking the Listeners 01:02 Guest Introduction: Professor Julian Wamble 01:45 Exploring Nerdy Identities 01:52 Diving into Greek Mythology 05:45 Joy of Teaching Harry Potter 09:02 Magic of Music and Instruments 12:43 Nerdiness of Knowledge 14:02 Teaching Harry Potter: A Dream Come True 15:38 Journey into Fandom and Virality 28:33 The Unplanned Approach to Podcasting 28:52 Surprising Lessons from Podcasting 29:49 Role of Self-Reflection in Character Analysis 31:51 Importance of Critical Love in Fandom 36:34 The Reality of Making Your Passion Your Job 37:29 Journey of Creating a Podcast 39:09 Role of Fan Fiction in the Fandom 43:21 Healing Power of the Fandom 45:50 Meaning of Being a Nerd 47:46 Final Thoughts and Recommendations Follow Professor Julian Wamble!  Tiktok: @profw Instagram: @prof.jw Listen to Critical Magic Theory: Spotify // Apple Podcasts // Audible Also mentioned on the show: https://archiveofourown.org Greek Mythology Podcast - Let’s Talk about Myths, Baby! Follow That Nerd Thing at: ⁠TikTok: @thatnerdthingpod⁠ ⁠Instagram: @thatnerdthingpod⁠ ⁠YouTube: @thatnerdthingpod⁠ Email: [email protected] Don’t forget to share this podcast with your nerdy friends!