Fall Break in Spain:
Cultural Coexistence & Conflict in Islamic Spain

Program Overview

The architectural, literary, political, and scientific legacy of al Andalus, the medieval Islamic realm of the Iberian Peninsula, is astonishing--and a particularly compelling one to explore in our time. Scholars such as María Rosa Menocal have argued for the existence of tolerance and collaboration between the 3 primary religious cultures--Muslim, Christian, and Jewish--in what has been described as the “Ornament of the World.” Critics of this interpretation of the “convivencia” (co-existence) in Islamic Spain have pointed to instances of violence, conflict, and persecution in interreligious relations. Others have suggested interreligious tolerance was ever in flux in this era and at times more rooted in practicality than ideology. Through the lenses of art, architecture, and urban history, we will examine the historical legacy and material remains of these 3 primary religious cultures from the 8^th to the 15^th centuries. We will explore how relations between the groups shifted over time and trace the trajectory of the Christian Reconquista of Spain that ultimately resulted in the expulsion of hundreds of thousands of Jews and Muslims from their homeland and set the stage for the imperialist and evangelist campaigns of the Spanish colonial period.

Academics

Credit/Registration: Students will be registered for HNRS T380 for 3 credits during the summer term. Students must leave room for the 3 credits in their summer credit load as the credits are not optional. This course will be comprised of two parts – the first a series of seminar sessions at Drexel and the second experiential learning in Spain.

Pre-requisites: None. Honors College affiliated students from all majors and years are welcome to apply. This includes the Honors Program, custom-designed major, and STAR.

Instructors: Mark Brack, PhD, Associate Professor; Nancy H. Fee, PhD, Adjunct Associate Professor

Pre-Travel Required Lectures: attendance is mandatory during summer term preparatory lectures. Exact meeting dates during each week will be determined.

Meeting 1 (TBD): Introduction, syllabus, research paper discussion
Meeting 2 (TBD): Lecture and discussion of proposed research topics          
Meeting 3 (TBD): Lecture and individual work with research topics.
Meeting 4 (TBD): Lecture
Meeting 5 (TBD): Lecture and test on required readings
August 24 (TBD): Arrival in Madrid

Program Calendar

Pre-Travel Required Lectures: attendance is mandatory during summer term lectures in Philadelphia (see above).

Arrival Date: August 24, 2022
Departure Date: September 1, 2022
*Students traveling before or after official program dates assume all risk for independent travel.

Sample Itinerary Highlights:

Madrid Sights
Plaza Mayor and the Madrid de los Hapsburgos
Mercado de San Miguel Parque del Retiro
Museo El Prado
 

Program Fee - $1,320

Due May 1st, 2022 $500 Advance Payment + $25 Application Fee
Due July 1st, 2022 $820 Final Payment
*All payments are non-refundable unless declined admission or program cancels for unforeseen reasons.

Included in Program Fee:

• 9 nights accommodation (shared rooms)
• Breakfasts and 3 group meals
• Class supplies
• Entry fees for some required site visits and museums (students will need $100 for additional entries on site)
• Charter bus to Valencia and Catalonia countryside
• Local transportation

Not Included in Program Fee (estimated):

• Regular Drexel tuition for 3 credits
• Round-trip airfare $1,130
• Passport $145
• Meals $325 
• Spending money/personal expenses $300
• Airport transfer $60
• Visa (if applicable) $90

More Information

• US Citizens are not required to have a visa for this program. Other nationalities should check visa requirements on the Spanish Embassy website here: http://www.exteriores.gob.es/Consulados/NUEVAYORK/en/Pages/inicio.aspx

• Course Grading Scale: