Spanish Literature and Culture

AP Annual Conference Submission

174 - Exploring Convivencia: Jews, Muslims, and Christians in Medieval Spain

Committee(s)

• MD

  Matthew Desing

  Associate Professor
  University of Texas at El Paso

While the Middle Ages was certainly a period of religious conflict, it was also a time of enormous cultural contact and exchange among faiths. This session focusses on the positive aspects of the convivencia or “living together” of Muslims, Christians, and Jews in the Iberian Peninsula (present-day Spain and Portugal) during the medieval period. Participants will review the medieval works on the reading list and then examine indications of shared cultural heritage and evidence of economic and political exchange among the 3 dominant religions to nuance understandings of the period. The presenter will also offer samples of additional literary and artistic artifacts for use in classroom activities and for preparing students for the AP Spanish Literature and Culture exam.