Program Overview
Program Overview
The Strait of Gibraltar: This historic gateway has stood witness to some of the most important population movements in history including current migrations of North Africans and Sub-Saharans into Spain. Crossing it holds great symbolic meaning for those in the Middle East and Africa, challenging people’s hopes and shaping cultures, religions, and social structures. With migrations as the focal point, this seminar explores the links between Morocco and Spain on a variety of levels: the rich cultural and historic heritage from the Al Andalus era, the intersection of “developing” and “developed” worlds, and the global impact of the increasing animosity between historically Muslim and Christian societies. During this seminar, we’ll connect with Spanish and Moroccan faculty, members of non-governmental organizations and cooperation agencies, and individuals from our host communities to discuss the relevant issues of diversity and co-existence, religious and cultural pluralism, education, history, globalization, economic inequalities, and development.
Program Activities
Program Activities
Participants will hear presentations from and have discussions with academics, artists, and community organizers and leaders who have researched and/or experienced firsthand the different historical and contemporary human migrations between North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula. Additionally, conversation and debates with key agents and conscientious members of our different host communities during meals and more informal discussion groups will deepen participants’ experience of the challenges and unique collaborations between these two interdependent cultures. This seminar aims to create a high level of engagement and reciprocity between participants and the hosts and friends met along the way in both Spain and Morocco.
Program Objectives
Program Objectives
During this seminar, participants will explore and grapple with the implications of the following guiding questions:
- What is the role of different historical narratives in configuring national identities and social imaginaries and in structuring and supporting power?
- To what extent can religion provide a spiritual and vernacular common ground for individuals within a society, induce social homogenization, or be the basis for the legitimization of power?
- How can linguistic, religious, or ethnic diversity be an obstacle for the development of a society or otherwise play to its advantage?
- What are the moral and political implications surrounding the phenomenon of human migrations in today's world?
- Could social justice and the widespread belief in human rights be at conflict with economic or social development?
- Is the legacy of colonization and decolonization the main cause for the lack of democratic and/or social development of formerly colonized societies?
- Is tourism, as a tool for economic and social development, at risk of alienating the society it is meant to develop? How does the commercialization of culture feed social imaginaries and shape identities?
- What are the virtues and flaws of international cooperation for development as a common type of relationship between First World and developing countries?
- How does gender inequality affect social, cultural, and economic development?
- Under what circumstances would a conflict with severe humanitarian implications receive international attention and continuous media coverage or, on the contrary, be largely neglected?
- Which of the above questions could be considered ethnocentrically grounded? How would these questions be formulated (and maybe answered) from the perspectives of hosts in Spain and Morocco?
Seminar Locations
Seminar Locations
Based in Seville, Spain and Casablanca, Morocco, with excursions to Cordoba, Tangiers, Algeciras, Tetouan, Chefchaouen, and Rabat; participants fly into Seville and out of Casablanca.