Course Syllabus Professor Areej Zufari

Rollins College CRN 10990 Spring Term 2014 Meeting Time and Location: Tuesday evenings 6:45-9:15pm Bush Science Center, Room 228

Contact Information: [email protected] Email is the best way to contact me. You can also reach me by phone for emergencies only: 407.310.1198. I ask that you only use this phone number for urgent questions.

Course Description: Islamic rule of during the Medieval Era has been hailed as an era of religious tolerance and respectful coexistence. Many scholars, on the other hand, dispute this view as overly positive. What is beyond dispute is that the presence and interaction of the Islamic, Christian and Jewish communities in Moorish Spain produced art, architecture, poetry, philosophy and music of exquisite beauty and ultimately helped to smooth the rough road to the Renaissance in Europe. This course will explore the reality of coexistence in Medieval Spain, an era that leaves us with the sublime Alhambra, an image of paradise, heavily fortified against the political struggles taking place just outside its walls.

2 Course Objectives: Students will analyze the culture of Medieval Spain in an integrated manner that focuses on the cultural developments and intellectual accomplishments, focusing on the following topics: . Exploring the Roman and Visigoth legacy in Spain. . Analyzing the Muslim impact on Spain. . Evaluating the concept of convivencia between Christians, Muslims, and Jews and their contributions . . Exploring Andalusian poetry, art, and architecture. . Analyzing Jewish contributions and developments. . Analyzing intellectual works (philosophical and theological) of this era. . Analyzing the concept of the Reconquest. . Identify and Evaluate contemporary parallels with Medieval Spanish cultural developments.

Course Texts: Required: . The Ornament of the World: How Muslims, Jews, and Christians Created a Culture of Tolerance in Medieval Spain by Maria Rosa Menocal paperback price $11.91 on Amazon ISBN-13: 9780316168717

. A Vanished World: Medieval Spain's Golden Age of Enlightenment by Chris Lowny paperback price $16.93 on Amazon ISBN-13: 978-0195311914

Suggested: . The Arts of Intimacy: Christians, Jews, and Muslims in the Making of Castilian Culture by Jerilynn D. Dodds, Maria Rosa Menocal, and Abigail Krasner Balbale paperback price $ 18.24 ISBN-13: 9780300142143

Course Policies: . Attendance Policy: Students are expected to attend all classes and keep up with assignments. Students who are not present in class will not earn credit for completed work. Certainly problems such as misbehaving cars, illnesses, and family emergencies come up. There is no need for students to document excused absences. Students are to take responsibility for attending all possible classes and to accept the policy that late work will not be accepted. . Participation and contribution to class discussions are required. . Copyrighted Material: All materials provided online are copyrighted and made available for educational purposes only. Students may not reproduce copyrighted material without permission from the appropriate publisher or author. . Classroom Etiquette: Please refrain from making any disparaging or disrespectful comments to any participant in the course and limit your comments to those which directly relate to the topic of discussion. . Class Partner: In order to keep up with all course material and have a study partner, you are asked to find at least one class partner. Your partner will be your source of information when you miss class. 3 . Academic Honesty. Academic honesty is absolutely maintained in this course. You will receive a Zero for any assignment that is plagiarized, and may receive a failing grade for the course. Membership in the student body of Rollins College carries with it an obligation, and requires a commitment, to act with honor in all things. Because academic integrity is fundamental to the pursuit of knowledge and truth and is the heart of the academic life of Rollins College, it is the responsibility of all members of the College community to practice it and to report apparent violations. The following pledge is a binding commitment by the students of Rollins College:

The development of the virtues of Honor and Integrity are integral to a Rollins College education and to membership in the Rollins College community. Therefore, I, a student of Rollins College, pledge to show my commitment to these virtues by abstaining from any lying, cheating, or plagiarism in my academic endeavors and by behaving responsibly, respectfully and honorably in my social life and in my relationships with others.

This pledge is reinforced every time a student submits work for academic credit as his/her own. Students shall add to all papers, quizzes, tests, lab reports, etc., the following handwritten abbreviated pledge followed by their signature:

“On my honor, I have not given, nor received, nor witnessed any unauthorized assistance on this work.”

Disability Services: Rollins College is committed to equal access and does not discriminate unlawfully against persons with disabilities in its policies, procedures, programs or employment processes. The College recognizes its obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 to provide an environment that does not discriminate against persons with disabilities.

If you are a person with a disability on this campus and anticipate needing any type of academic/medical accommodations in order to participate in your classes, please make timely arrangements by disclosing this disability in writing to the Disability Services Office at (Box 2772) – Mills Building, 1000 Holt Ave., Winter Park, FL, 32789. Appointments can be scheduled by calling 407-646-2354 or by emailing: [email protected]

Evaluation Method: Your grade will be calculated by adding points earned by the total of possible number of points

Critical Thinking Essays (2) 100 points each Class Presentation 100 points Mid-term Exam 100 points Final Exam 100 points

Below is a general grading scale for how I assess written work, including your essays and class presentation:

A 90-100% The student submits superb work. The student shows an ability to offer original and insightful analysis of the facts. 4 B 80-89% The student submits solid work. The facts have been grasped, and significant moves have been made to interpret the material in an analytical fashion. C 70-79% The student has made an attempt to grasp the factual material presented. The analysis of these facts, and an attempt to contribute towards an original interpretation, however, is severely missing. D 60-69% The student offers only simplistic answers and no attempt to grasp the concepts was made. F -59% The student’s work shows no attempt to engage the material, to respect the parameters of the class and its schedule, or the turning in of assignment.

Critical Thinking Essays: Please remember that these essays MUST uphold the Academic Integrity policy of the college and the course. No plagiarism will be tolerated. Any plagiarism will result in a zero for your grade.

Any resources or research used MUST be documented according to MLA standards. Your sources of information must be cited within the body of the paper and at the end of the paper in a Works Cited page. Failure to do so is plagiarism, and will be treated as such.

Please upload your completed essays through Blackboard. (This will save paper and facilitate grading.) On the course menu on Blackboard, you will see a menu option titled “Critical Thinking Essays.” Please click on this option. Once you have opened the folder, you will see where you can upload each of the two required essays. Please note: works cited pages should be in the SAME document as your essay. Simply insert a page break after your essay and then include your works cited page. This is standard for academic papers.

For these essays, you will be required to present thoughtful, articulate essays that present your original ideas. As important as the writing skills you demonstrate are the analytical and Critical Thinking skills you develop. You will be graded on the following areas: • the quality of your writing • your command of the topic • the quality of your Critical Thinking and the manner in which you develop your thoughts

The purpose of the Critical Thinking essays is to demonstrate your higher levels of thinking. The purpose of these essays is to give you the opportunity to develop your own analysis that is backed up by careful, well- developed thoughts. Your response essay should be • at least 1500 words, typed • Double-spaced, size 12 font, and formatted according to MLA standards. • You should present a formal writing assignment; therefore, it may NOT include informal words or slang. Also, you may not write in the first person, and you may NOT include first-person pronouns. • Your essays must be well-written, with special attention given to grammar, syntax, and essay structure. • Your essays must be well-edited and free of writing errors. • You should have a clear train of thought, and not simply ramble on about random topics mentioned within the readings • I expect you to back up your statements with concrete arguments of your own and/or examples from the readings. Your Essays Should Include: . An original Title . A proper heading according to MLA style 5 . a highlighted thesis—Highlight your thesis in a different color . a well-written introductory paragraph . Body paragraphs that are well developed with analysis that backs your thesis. . Well developed transitions between paragraphs . Specific examples and references to indicate you have a strong command of the topic. . Concluding paragraph . MLA format citations within the paper . MLA format Works Cited page at the end of the paper

Class Presentations: Each person will be assigned a date and topic to lead our class discussion and give a presentation bringing into focus key aspects of the topic assigned for the day of the presentation. You can work individually or in pairs as you explore sources/issues relevant for analyzing the topic and then presenting analysis and research in class. You can think about the presentations as a kind of "oral research paper," in which the members of each group collaboratively investigate issues that can enrich the entire class's understanding of the topic.

Your presentation should make note of historical figures, important themes, and cultural developments. Your presentation should also include identification and evaluation of a parallel in contemporary cultural issues. For example, in a discussion of convivencia, you might choose to evaluate whether there are any similarities in Medieval Spain’s cultural diversity and acceptance and the contemporary United State’s cultural diversity and acceptance.

Sources can be scouted out in the library or taken from the web, and I have also provided a bibliography in your syllabus for some suggestions. Please turn in, on the day of your presentation, a list of the sources that your group consulted.

You might want to adopt the following general strategy as you prepare your presentation:  Work to identify (first individually and then as a pair) a number of key issues of the topic that you feel are worth focusing on in the presentation.  Identify contemporary issues or situations that parallel the topic you are researching.  Identify sources related to your presentation.  After engaging in your research, discuss the issues and evaluate the contemporary parallel.  Plan your presentation. Remember to be creative, engaging, and scholarly. Create questions, lead discussions, and provoke our curiosity. You do not need to be an expert on the topic, but you should be well-prepared to lead a discussion prompted by insightful questions.

Below is the rubric that will be used to assess your work:

Sophisticated Competent Insufficient 20 points 15-10 points 9-5 points

The team worked well The team worked well The team did not collaborate or together to achieve together most of the time, with communicate well. Some Teamwork & objectives. Each member only a few occurrences of members would work contributed in a valuable way communication breakdown or Collaboration independently, without regard to to the project. All data failure to collaborate when objectives or priorities. A lack of sources indicated a high level necessary. Members were respect and regard was of mutual respect and mostly respectful of each frequently noted. collaboration. other. 6 40 points 35-25 points 24-10 points

Content & The presentation offered new The presentation offered The presentation was not Contribution to information or analysis about some new information or complete and offered no new the topic. The presentation analysis about the topic. The information or analysis about the Classroom also showed strong effort was presentation also showed topic. The presentation also Learning made in breaking new ground some effort was made in showed that too little effort was and building excitement about building excitement about the made in building excitement the topic. topic. about the topic. 40 points 35-25 points 24-10 points Presentation The presentation was The presentation techniques The presentation failed to Effectiveness & imaginative and effective in used were effective in capture the interest of the Creativity conveying ideas to the conveying main ideas, audience and/or is confusing in audience. but a bit unimaginative. what was communicated.

Exams: Exams will consist of questions that address concepts we cover in our discussions, in class presentations, and in the textbooks. The best preparation for exams will be to be consistent with your reading and to engage in class discussions and take good notes.

Deadline Policy: I do not accept late assignments or essays. Period. Make-up exams will be given only for unavoidable, emergency situations.

Withdrawal Policy: It is the student’s responsibility to withdraw from the course if he or she feels he can not complete the requirements of the course. Professor Zufari reserves the right to withdraw students for failure to show up to the first two weeks of class, but any other withdrawals must be made by the student. This withdrawal deadline for this semester is March 21.

7 Medieval Spain (HUM 310E) Course Schedule **Subject to Change with Prior Notice

Introductions January 14  Read Syllabus  Introduction to Spanish geography and history

Medieval Iberia January 21  Read Lowney Chapter 1 & Chapter 3  Read Arts of Intimacy pages 99-101

Muslim Invasions January 28  Read Lowney Chapter 2  Read Menocal Beginnings & A Brief History of a First-Rate Place  Class Presentation Topic: Heathen Invasions or Cultural Saviors?

The Umayyads of Cordoba February 4  Read Menocal The Mosque and the Palm Tree & The Gardens of Memory  Read Arts of Intimacy pages 168-169  Class Presentation: Cultural harmony or cultural oppression?

Jews in Islamic Spain February 11  Read Lowney Chapter 7  Read Menocal A Grand Vizier, A Grand City & Sailing Away, Riding Away  Read Course Documents on Blackboard –“The Jews of Spain” Folder  Class Presentation: Under Crescent andCross: Tolerance, exploitation, or acceptance of Jews?

Convivencia February 18  Read Lowney Chapter 5  Read Menocal Mother Tongues & Victorious in Exile & Love and Its Songs & Epologue: Andalusian Shards  Class Presentation: Convivencia: History or myth?

Mid-term Exam February 25

8 No Class—Spring Break!! March 4

Civil War March 11  Read Lowney Chapter 8  Read Menocal The Church at the Top of the Hill  Class Presentation: “Crusade” vs. “Jihad: Synonyms, anomalies, or inevitabilities?

The Great Maimonides March 18  Read Lowney Chapter 11  Read Menocal Banned in Paris

Medieval Mysticism March 25  Read Lowney Chapter 13,14, & 15  Read Menocal Visions of Other Worlds  Read Arts of Intimacy pages 99-101

The Paths of Transmission April 1  Read Lowney Chapter 18  Read Menocal The Abbot and the Quran & Gifts  Class Presentation: The Impact of Medieval Spain: Roots of the Renaissance?

El Cid: Myth and History April 8  Read Lowney Chapter 10  Read The Poem of the Cid from the link provided on Blackboard

The Reconquest April 15  Read Lowney Chapter 16  Read Menocal In The Alhambra & Somewhere in La Mancha  Read Arts of Intimacy pages 199-201  Class Presentation: The Reconquista: Christian destiny or Muslim humiliation?

The Inquisition April 22  Read Lowney Chapter 19  Class Presentation: The Spanish Inquisition: Unparalleled brutality or cultural, political trend?

The Past in the Present April 29  Read Lowney Chapter 20 9  Read Menocal Epologue: Andalusian Shards  Class Presentation: Into the Future: The impact of Medieval Spain on the present.

Final Exam May 6 10

Timeline of Medieval Spain & the Iberian Peninsula

711 North African commander Tariq ibn Ziyad leads Umayyad forces across the Strait of Gibraltar into Spain. Muslim forces defeat the Visigoth army, marking the beginning of Muslim rule in Iberia.

750 - 755 Umayyad prince Abd al-Rahman escapes the Abbasid Revolution and arrives in Spain, establishes leadership in Cordoba, and builds an independent state.

785 Abd al-Rahman begins construction of the Great Mosque of Cordoba.

929 Abd al-Rahman III declares himself caliph in Cordoba, challenging Abbasid and Fatimid claims of authority over Muslims. 1085 Alfonso VI of Leon-Castile takes control of the city of Toledo. 1086 (petty kingdom) rulers of Granada and Seville invite Almoravid ruler Yusuf ibn Tashufin to send forces from North Africa to prevent further losses to Christian forces. Al-Andalus comes under Almoravid rule. 1095 Pope Urban II launches the First Crusade.

1167 Almohad rulers succeed Almoravids in al-Andalus and build the Great Mosque of Seville. 1212 Combined Christian allies Castile, Aragon, Navarre, and defeat Almohads in the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa. Almohad power in Spain declines, leaving Andalusian cities vulnerable to conquest.

1238 The Nasrid dynasty rises to power in Granada.

1215 Pope Innocent III proclaims the crusade in Spain. 1152 Alfonso X, son of Fernando III, consolidates power in Iberia. Known as Al-Sabio, or “the Wise,” he orders Latin translations of Arabic works on medicine, astronomy, philosophy and other subjects. 1469 Isabel of Castile and Fernando of Aragon marry and combine their kingdoms. 1478 The Spanish Inquisition begins, targeting mainly Jews and Muslims. 1492 Boabdil, the last of Granada, allies with Isabel and Ferdinand in rebellion against his father, leading to the fall of Granada.

1609 King Felipe III expels the Moriscos from Spain. Over 300,000 people are banished, including a third of Valencia’s population.

11 Suggestions for sources related to Essays and Class Presentation

Ashtor, Eliyahu.The Jews of Moslem Spain. translated from the Hebrew by Aaron Klein and Jenny Machlowitz Klein. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society of America, c1973-

Baer, Yitzhak. A history of the Jews in Christian Spain. translated from the Hebrew by Louis Schoffman. Philadelphia, Jewish Publication Society of America, 1961-66.

Bendiner, Elmer. The rise and fall of paradise. New York: Putnam's, c1983.

Burns, Robert I. Muslims, Christians, and Jews in the crusader : societies in symbiosis. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1984.

Collins, Roger. Early Medieval Spain. Unity in Diversity, 400-1000 (New York: St. Martinís Press, 1995).

Collins, Roger. The Arab Invasion of Spain. Oxford: B. Blackwell, 1989.

Cutler, Allan H. The Jew as ally of the Muslim: medieval roots of anti-Semitism. Notre Dame, Ind.: University of Notre Dame Press, c1986.

Dillard, Heath. Daughters of the Reconquest: women in Castilian town society, 1100-1300. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1984.

Fernandez-Armesto, Felipe. Ferdinand and Isabella. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, <1975>

Fletcher, Richard A. The quest for El Cid. London: Hutchinson, c1989.

Harvey, Leonard P. Islamic Spain, 1250 to 1500 Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1990.

Hillgarth, Jocelyn N. The Spanish kingdoms, 1250-1516. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1976-78.

Kamen, Henry A. Spain, 1469-1714: a society of conflict. London: New York: Longman, 1983.

Lomax, Derek W. The Reconquest of Spain. London; New York: Longman, 1978.

Marias, Julian. Understanding Spain. translated by Frances M. Lopez-Morillas. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, c1990.

Read, Jan. The Moors in Spain and Portugal. London: Faber, 1974.

Regne, Jean. History of the Jews in Aragon: regesta and documents, 1213-1327. edited and annotated by Yom Tov Assis, in association with Adam Gruzman. Jerusalem: Magnes Press, Hebrew University, 1978.

The Sephardi heritage: essays on the historical and cultural contribution of the Jews of Spain and Portugal. edited by R. D. Barnett. London: Vallentine, Mitchell, 1971.

The Worlds of Alfonso the Learned and James the Conqueror: intellect & force in the . Edited by Robert I. Burns. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, c1985.