Topics in Jewish Studies (390-0-2)
Topic
Medieval Sepharad: Language, History, & Memory of
Instructors
Rodrigo Isidro Garcia-Velasco Bernal
Meeting Info
Kresge Centennial Hall 2-425: Tues, Thurs 9:30AM - 10:50AM
Overview of class
This course provides a broad introduction to the legacies and histories of medieval Spanish Jewish communities, from their late Roman origins through their eventual conversion and expulsion in the 15th century, and their subsequent global diaspora during the early modern period. It follows a mixed chronological and thematic approach, allowing students to think comparatively in historical, literary or philosophical terms about the Iberian Jewish tradition. It will invite students to reflect on how we study pre-modern Jewish communities, and more broadly minority groups in medieval Spain and the Mediterranean basin, and address questions of agency, visibility, textuality or identity of these groups. The course will challenge students' understanding of what is distinctively ‘Spanish', ‘Jewish', or ‘Medieval' about these collectives. It will also discuss the legacy of Jewish culture and philosophy in Spain, and historiographical models that underpin the study of these groups, especially the rise of anti-Judaism, and the impact of neo-lachrymose accounts of the Iberian past in Jewish studies.
Registration Requirements
None.
Learning Objectives
By the end of the module, students will acquire skills, knowledge and understanding and be able to demonstrate:
• A comprehensive knowledge of the main historical developments affecting the nature of Jewish life in medieval Iberia
• A systematic understanding of key texts, historical figures, authors relevant to the study of medieval Sepharad, and how different kinds of evidence (archaeological, historical, literary, legal, etc) inform our study and appreciation of medieval Iberian Jewish communities
• The capacity to engage critically with key theories and historiographies in the study of Jewish Spain, including anti-Judaism/antisemitism, convivencia, ‘golden age', identity, diaspora
• The ability to critically engage with how medieval Sepharad has lived on in the diaspora and how it is used in the twenty-first century
• The ability to independent study and to work effectively in collaboration with others, as well as undertaking creative and well-organized research projects through an effective command of available research tools.
Evaluation Method
Class participation: 20%
Writing Assignments: 70%
Weekly Reaction Papers: 10%
Class Materials (Required)
Jonathan Ray, Jewish Life in Medieval Spain (Philadelphia, 2023) ISBN: 9781512823837