Analyzing the Historiography of the Iberian Reconquista (718/722–1492/1614) from Feminist and Postcolonial Perspectives
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Islamophobic Narratives of Medieval and Early Modern Iberian History? Analyzing the Historiography of the Iberian Reconquista (718/722–1492/1614) from Feminist and Postcolonial Perspectives By Pablo Monerris Galvañ Submitted to Central European University Department of Gender Studies, Department of History In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Gender Studies with Specialization in Women’s and Gender History Supervisor: Professor Francisca de Haan, Ph.D. Second Reader: Professor Marianne Thivend, Ph.D. CEU eTD Collection Budapest, Hungary 2018 Abstract This thesis analyzes the (mainly Spanish and Anglo-American) historiography that discursively constructed Muslim presence and Muslim-Christian relationships in Medieval and Early Modern Iberia (711–1614) as a parenthesis amidst Catholic political domination, territorial unity, religious orthodoxy, and ethnic exclusivity. While traditional historiography has approached the history of Medieval and Early Modern Iberia through the concept of Reconquista, since the middle of the 20th century the conceptualization of Convivencia and new theorizations in the fields of History, Postcolonial and Feminist Studies have promoted new historiographical debates on and approaches to the history of Medieval and Early Modern Iberia. Using the theories of Orientalism, Intersectionality, gendered Islamophobia, Deconstruction and Performativity, this thesis analyzes the broad and complex historiographical field about Muslims in Medieval and Early Modern Iberian history, and explores whether this historiographical body produces narratives that can be interpreted as a biased discourse. My analysis shows that the use of the concept of Reconquista has played a powerful role in constructing a nationalist and exclusionary vision of Spanish history, in which Catholic and Muslim subjects were and continue to be constructed in oppositional and hostile ways. Secondly, it argues for the importance of recognizing the historical and historiographical roots of contemporary gendered Islamophobia. CEU eTD Collection i Resumen Esta tesis analiza la historiografía (principalmente en lengua española e inglesa) que construyó discursivamente la presencia musulmana y las relaciones entre personas musulmanas y cristianas en la Iberia medieval y bajo-moderna (711-1614) como un paréntesis en medio de la dominación política católica, la unidad territorial, la ortodoxia religiosa y la exclusividad étnica. Mientras que la historiografía tradicional ha abordado la historia de la Iberia medieval y bajo-moderna a través del concepto de Reconquista, desde mediados del siglo XX la conceptualización del término Convivencia y las nuevas teorizaciones en los campos de la Historia, los estudios poscoloniales y feministas han promovido nuevos debates historiográficos y nuevas aproximaciones a la historia de la Iberia medieval y moderna. Utilizando las teorías y métodos del Orientalismo, la interseccionalidad, la islamofobia de género, la “deconstrucción” y la “performatividad”, esta tesis analiza el amplio y complejo campo historiográfico sobre las personas musulmanas en la historia ibérica medieval y bajo-moderna, y explora si este cuerpo historiográfico produce narraciones que pueden interpretarse como un discurso sesgado. Mi análisis muestra que el uso del concepto de Reconquista ha desempeñado un papel importante en la construcción de una visión nacionalista y excluyente de la historia española, en la que los sujetos históricos musulmanes se construyeron de manera opuesta y hostil a los cristianos. En segundo lugar, defiende la importancia de reconocer las raíces históricas e historiográficas de la islamofobia de género contemporánea. CEU eTD Collection ii Declaration of Original Content I hereby declare that this thesis is the result of original research; it contains no materials accepted for any other degree in any other institution and no materials previously written and/or published by another person, except where appropriate acknowledgment is made in the form of bibliographical reference. I further declare that the following word count for this thesis are accurate: Body of thesis (all chapters excluding notes, references, appendices, etc.): 44,708 words Entire manuscript: 64,089 words Signed by: Pablo Monerris Galvañ CEU eTD Collection iii Acknowledgements First of all, this research has been possible thanks to the vital work of my supervisor, Professor Francisca de Haan. I want to show my deep gratitude to her, for her patience, resilience, honesty and assistance in facilitating an optimal intellectual environment to discuss and shape the questions that guided my research and helped me to conceive and develop the final project. I also want to thank her for her relentless support and commitment, which has helped me to make the most out of this complex and labyrinthine research and to better navigate the many obstacles and personal impediments I found on my way. I also want to thank my second reader, Professor Marianne Thivend, for her confidence and support, as well as for her enriching questions and for placing me in contact with similar research projects being conducted in France. This thesis is also the result of the invaluable love and support of my family and friends. The time and energy I have devoted to this research have been possible thanks to the amazing care and continuous support that my parents and sister have given to me since the first day. Without my family’s trust in the power of a liberating education and their commitment to a more democratic, respectful and freer society, this thesis would have never come out. As for my friends, I thank my “family of choice”, scattered around the globe, for their priceless help and assistance, which allowed me to visit archives and libraries in Barcelona and helped me to go through the physical and emotional obstacles of embarking in this research. Göksu, Kiel, Seyda, Ana, Namwar, Kruskaya, Sarah, Mert, Tankut, Arman, Ida, Kaveri, Santi, Dam, Célia, Vinod, Andi, José, Rodrigo, Aroa, Daniel, Abbas, Nassr, Brigitte, Loreto, Paula, Lieke, Teresa, Moniek, Glenda, CEU eTD Collection Nadia, Hü Meyra, Naomi, Jacques and Nicholas are among the many names of the feminist family who has made all this possible. Thank you to all of you for your love, care and support. iv Finally, I also want to show my gratitude to six professionals on the fields of Education, History and research on the Social Sciences who helped me to identify problems, sources and blind-spots in my research topic. To respect their privacy, I do not mention their names here but, nevertheless, I also want to thank them for their help. CEU eTD Collection v List of Figures Figure 1 "Alfonso I as a discourse node". ..................................................................................... 79 Figure 2 Political Map of the Northwest of the Iberian Peninsula around 1065. ......................... 85 Figure 3 Map of "Medieval Spain" by Miriam Shadis. .................................................................. 95 CEU eTD Collection vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract .................................................................................................................................. i Resumen ................................................................................................................................ ii Declaration of Original Content ............................................................................................. iii Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................ iv List of Figures ....................................................................................................................... vi TABLE OF CONTENTS ...................................................................................................... vii Chapter 1. Introduction ......................................................................................................... 1 1.1. Description of the Topic, Aims, Research Questions, Structure of the Thesis and Sources ..... 1 1.2. Methodology and Sources ............................................................................................................... 9 1.3. Limitations, Politics of Location and Situated Knowledge ........................................................ 12 Chapter 2. Theoretical Framework and Methodology ............................................................ 18 2.1. Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 18 2.2. Islamophobia .................................................................................................................................. 18 2.2.1. Defining Islamophobia ............................................................................................................................. 18 2.2.2. Historicizing Orientalism and Islamophobia ............................................................................................ 20 2.2.3. ‘Closed and open views of Islam and Muslims’ – The Runnymede 1997 Report .................................... 30 2.2.4. Islamophobia and the Racialization of religious affiliation, Class and Gender ........................................ 33 2.3. Gendered Islamophobia ................................................................................................................ 35 2.3.1. Jasmin Zine’s approach ...........................................................................................................................