Convivencia.
Our take
In her insightful review titled "Convivencia," Robyn Creswell delves into Eric Calderwood's "On Earth or in Poems: The Many Lives of al-Andalus," shedding light on the intricate tapestry of Islamic rule over the Iberian Peninsula. This period, rich in cultural exchange and intellectual flourishing, is compellingly examined through Calderwood's lens. Creswell’s analysis is essential reading for those captivated by this historical era.
In the realm of historical narratives, few topics evoke as much intrigue as the period of Islamic rule over the Iberian Peninsula, known as al-Andalus. Robyn Creswell's recent review in the New York Review of Books, focusing on Eric Calderwood's *On Earth or in Poems: The Many Lives of al-Andalus*, serves as a compelling entry point into this rich tapestry. The concept of *convivencia*, or coexistence, emerges as a pivotal theme, inviting readers to explore not just the historical coexistence of cultures, but also the philosophical implications of such interactions. For those curious about cultural intersections, it resonates with themes discussed in our previous pieces like Just curious, what tools do you actually use to read/listen to content in your target language before you're fluent? and Interstitium, Apoplast., where the quest for understanding across boundaries is similarly explored.
Creswell's review highlights the enduring legacy of *convivencia*, which many English-speaking audiences first encountered through María Rosa Menocal's *The Ornament of the World*. This notion is not merely an academic tool; it is a lens through which we can examine the complexities of cultural exchange and mutual influence. It raises essential questions: Can we truly coexist? What does it mean to live alongside differences? By engaging with Calderwood's work, readers are prompted to reconsider their own contexts and the coexistences that shape their realities. The historical narrative of al-Andalus is not a relic of the past, but a living dialogue that informs our contemporary discussions about multiculturalism and tolerance.
The cultural flowering of al-Andalus was marked by remarkable achievements in science, philosophy, and the arts — a vibrant tapestry woven from diverse threads. Creswell's analysis underscores that the romanticized view of this period often overlooks the challenges and tensions inherent in such coexistence. It serves as a reminder that history is not a linear progression toward a harmonious existence but rather a series of dialogues — some productive, some fraught. This notion resonates with themes explored in our article about the aftermath of biblical narratives in What Happened to Jesus’ Twelve Disciples After the Bible—It Wasn’t Pretty, where the complexities of human relationships are examined through the lens of historical events.
As we dig deeper into the concept of *convivencia*, we are invited to explore its relevance beyond the historical context. In today's world, where cultural clashes often dominate headlines, the lessons from al-Andalus offer a critical perspective. They remind us that coexistence is not a passive state but an active engagement, requiring effort, empathy, and a willingness to embrace the unknown. This leads us to ponder: How can we cultivate a modern-day *convivencia* in our increasingly polarized societies?
In conclusion, Creswell's review of Calderwood's work is not just an academic exploration but a cultural call-to-action. It urges us to engage with our shared histories, recognize the richness of diversity, and strive for a coexistence that honors all voices. As we move forward, let us not merely look at the past as a series of events, but as a continuous dialogue that shapes our present and future. How we choose to engage with this dialogue will determine the kind of coexistence we cultivate in our own lives. Stay spooty and curious; the past has so much to teach us if we let it.
Robyn Creswell’s NYRB review (February 22, 2024; archived) of On Earth or in Poems: The Many Lives of al-Andalus by Eric Calderwood should be worth reading for anyone interested in the period of Islamic rule over the Iberian Peninsula, but what drives me to post is this (bold added):
The most popular tool in this interpretive kit, which a host of thinkers have used to understand al-Andalus, is the concept of convivencia, or coexistence. Many English-language readers encountered this idea in the scholar María Rosa Menocal’s The Ornament of the World (2002), a lyrical portrait of what she calls medieval Spain’s “culture of tolerance.” […]
The idea of convivencia, though often associated with Andalusia, is not Andalusian: its roots lie in the much more recent past. The word was first used in the peculiar—and conveniently vague—sense of religious and ethnic coexistence by the Spanish historian and literary critic Américo Castro in his book España en su historia (1948). Borrowing the term from philology, where it denoted the struggle for supremacy among vernacular variants of a word, Castro gave it an existentialist turn, using it to characterize the daily interaction between Christian, Muslim, and Jewish “castes,” which he took to be the basis of Spanish identity.
I find it hard to believe that a word which appears to mean simply ‘living together’ (and is so defined in the RAE’s Diccionario de la lengua española) originally had the specialized sense of ‘the struggle for supremacy among vernacular variants of a word’ and that this had to be borrowed and repurposed by Castro, but since there is no OED for Spanish, I have no way of finding out. Anybody know the history of this word?
Read on the original site
Open the publisher's page for the full experience