The Spanish Past and the Modern Middle East

Lecturer: Ibrahim al-Marashi, CSUSM

This talk combines both history of Spain and the current politics in the Middle East. It will answer questions such as how are conviviencia, a paradigm of inter-faith harmony between Muslims, Christians, and Jews living in Iberia from 711 to 1492, and the Spanish Inquisition remembered in both modern Spain and Middle Eastern states. What happened to the Spanish Sephardic communities who migrated to the Ottoman Empire and Turkey? Why do politicians in the current Middle East often refer to the Spanish past. How do terrorist groups want to reconquer Andalusia? And finally how does Muslim Spain figure in Arabic TV historical dramas?