The myth of Muslim Spain

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- paniss492
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The myth of Muslim Spain
OP - September 16, 2017, 10:06 AM

Hi!
Has this topic already been discussed? Do you have any other links?
https://home.isi.org/myth-andalusian-paradise
- zeca
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The myth of Muslim Spain
Reply #1 - September 16, 2017, 10:41 AM

Darío Fernández-Morera, the writer of the article you linked to, has also written this book. I haven't read it but I posted a link to a review of it on the random Islamic history thread (however see also the comments by Zaotar and Zimriel a couple of posts below): https://www.councilofexmuslims.com/index.php?topic=28609.msg867365#msg867365

The other comments and reviews of the book that I've seen have been critical and I don't think it's because everyone subscribes to the idea of al-Andalus as an example of tolerance and multi-culturalism. For the history of Islamic Spain more generally the Ballandalus blog is pretty good: https://ballandalus.wordpress.com

Edit: The original link to the review is broken - try here instead: https://wp.nyu.edu/sjpearce/2017/03/17/paradise-lost/

The article linked to in the OP is on a site promoting conservative ideas. Obviously content on the site has to be judged in its own right but it's maybe worth bearing mind where it's coming from politically. Here's some background on the Intercollegiate Studies Institute from a sympathetic source: http://humanevents.com/2004/02/10/intercollegiate-studies-institute-turns-fifty/ and an article that puts Darío Fernández-Morera at number three on a list of the 'top ten contemporary academics helping the political right': http://www.poletical.com/academics-helping-the-right.php

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- zeca
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The myth of Muslim Spain
Reply #2 - September 16, 2017, 07:02 PM

Here's a less polemical article critical of 'romantic notions of medieval Spanish tolerance':

Kenneth Baxter Wolf - Convivencia and the "Ornament of the World"

An article on al-Andalus in Spanish historical memory:

Alejandro García-Sanjuán - Rejecting al-Andalus, exalting the Reconquista: historical memory in contemporary Spain

A critical review of a book by García-Sanjuán on another al-Andalus academic controversy:

Kenneth Baxter Wolf - Negating Negationism

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- paniss492
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The myth of Muslim Spain
Reply #3 - September 20, 2017, 08:29 PM

Thank you
- zeca
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The myth of Muslim Spain
Reply #4 - September 21, 2017, 01:19 PM

Some more articles:

Maya Soifer - Beyond convivencia: critical reflections on the historiography of interfaith relations in Christian Spain

Ann Christys - Muslims and Christians in Umayyad Cordoba: the formation of a tolerant society?

Which side are you on?
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