Jean Bethke Elshtain, the Cary and Ann Maguire Scholar at the Library of Congress, presented a lecture titled "Harry Potter, St. Augustine and the Confrontation with Evil" on Nov. 12. The event, which was sponsored by the Library's John W. Kluge Center, was free and open to the public.

In her talk, Elshtain discussed St. Augustine's discourse on evil and his rejection of a dualistic universe in which evil is an active, freestanding principle poised against good. She explored the ever-present menace of evil in J.K Rowlings's Harry Potter books. Elshtain believes that one reason Harry Potter is so wildly popular among children (of all ages) lies in Rowlings' brilliant representations of evil.

Jean Bethke Elshtain, a political philosopher who attempts to show the connections between political and ethical convictions, has been the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Professor of Social and Political Ethics at the University of Chicago since 1995.

A distinguished author, her books include: "Just War against Terror: The Burden of American Power in a Violent World" (2003); "Faith Matters: Religion and Public Life in America," co-authored with Aziza al-Hibri and Charles Haynes (2001); "The Jane Addams Reader" (2001); "Who Are We? Critical Reflections and Hopeful Possibilities. Politics and Ethical Discourse" (2000); "Augustine and the Limits of Politics" (1996); and many others. She is also the author of more than 400 essays in scholarly journals and journals of civic opinion, and some 200 book reviews.

Elshtain was named to the Cary and Ann Maguire Chair in American History and Ethics in September in the John W. Kluge Center of the Library of Congress. The holder of this chair explores the history of America with special attention to the ethical dimensions of domestic economic, political and social policies.

For more information about the Cary and Ann Maguire Chair in American History and Ethics or any of the other fellowships, grants and programs offered by the John W. Kluge Center, contact the Office of Scholarly Programs, Library of Congress, 101 Independence Avenue S.E., Washington, DC 20540-4860; telephone (202) 707-3302, fax (202) 707-3595, or visit the Web at