Muslims, Christians, and Jews in Medieval Spain

Spain was one of the most culturally diverse parts of Europe throughout the Middle Ages, with Muslims, Jews, and Christians living side by side in both the Christian and Muslim kingdoms of the Iberian peninsula for nearly eight centuries (711-1492), in fluctuating peace and tension. Uninterrupted contact produced richly complex patterns of cultural exchange whose legacy is variously embraced and debated today. This first-year seminar will examine relationships between Muslims, Jews, and Christians from the perspectives of literature, music, art, architecture, archaeology, and history. While largely focusing on the centuries of co-existence, we will also consider the expulsions and forced conversions of Jews and Muslims that took place after 1492, as well as the resurgence of these communities in contemporary Spain. Throughout, students will acquire theoretical bases for understanding current interreligious conflict and for envisioning its repair. Instruction in Spanish.