Multicultural Spain – Christian, Jewish and Muslim Coexistence
SPAN 301/ARAB 303/HBRW 303/ETHS 303/RLGN 303
Led by Professors Ramez Islambouli, Barbara Mann, and Damaris Puñales-Alpízar

This class will allow students to get in contact with the history of Spain through the study of the presence and influence of the Roman Empire in the Peninsula. Through literature, cinema and art students will learn how the Spanish civilization and culture developed through the years. The study abroad component of the class will take students to Seville, one of the epicenters of the three cultures in the Middle Ages, in the region known as Al–Andalus.

During the semester, and the study abroad in Spain, we will try to answer some fundamental questions:

• Why is medieval Iberia so often depicted as an example of tolerant multiculturalism?
• What constituted tolerance in the Middle Ages?
• In what sense can we speak of medieval multiculturalism?
• Is Americo Castro’s optimistic model of convivencia (coexistence) valid, or is Brian Catlos’ idea of conveniencia (convenience) more accurate?

In this course we will study cultural theory, medieval and modern historiography, and literature from medieval Castile to approach an understanding of medieval Iberian ‘multiculturalism.’ The stay in Spain will allow us to witness, firsthand, the main concepts and texts discussed during the semester.

Counts as a CAS Global & Cultural Diversity course.

Prerequisite Requirements: Instructor consent required. No pre-requisite requirements.

Contact: damaris.punales-alpizar@case.edu for information.

Apply: http://studyabroad.case.edu/.