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CS92PROD
Spanish Identity in the Early Modern World
COL 285
Spring 2015
Section: 01  
Crosslisting: HIST 305

Who exactly is a Spaniard? And which particular qualities constituted "Spanishness" for peninsulares (i.e., those born in Spain itself), for the diverse inhabitants of the Spanish New World, and for Spain's allies and rivals abroad? Was it a question of blood, culture, religion, or some combination thereof? These were questions that provoked profound anxieties, as well as a variety of responses, in the late medieval and early modern periods, particularly as Spain confronted religious and "racial" others both at home (i.e., Jews and Muslims) and overseas (e.g., Amerindians). In this course, we will closely examine these anxieties and responses, paying special attention to the creation and representation of identity itself. Topics will include the legacy of convivencia (i.e., the "coexistence" of Jews, Christians, and Muslims in medieval Spain), "purity of blood" laws, the so-called Black Legend (of Spanish rapacity and fanaticism), and the fascinating artistic genre known as "casta paintings," which depicted the dizzying variety of racial mixtures found and produced in the Spanish colonial world.
Credit: 1 Gen Ed Area Dept: HA COL
Course Format: SeminarGrading Mode: Graded
Level: UGRD Prerequisites: None
Fulfills a Major Requirement for: (COL)(HIST-MN)(HIST)
Past Enrollment Probability: 90% or above

Last Updated on MAR-29-2024
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