From the Glory of Conquest to Paradise Lost: Al-Andalus as an Arab Realm of Memory

Peter Wien discusses how "Realms of Memory" are central to how societies relate to a perceived collective past. The history of medieval al-Andalus, or Muslim Spain, served as a shared point of reference for Arabs throughout the 20th century. A nationalist symbol for Arab-Muslim civilization, al-Andalus also served as a common nostalgia for a culture of "convivencia" and a flourishing of arts and sciences. For captions, transcript, and more information visit http://www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/feature_wdesc.php?rec=5618.

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