On Earth or in Poems: The Many Lives of al-Andalus

The book "On Earth or in Poems" explores how the memory of Muslim Iberia shapes art and politics from New York and Cordoba to Cairo and the West Bank. It shows how Arab and Muslim artists and thinkers in Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa draw their own connections to the history of al-Andalus, a legendary place where people from the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe lived together in peace. Eric Calderwood traces the role of al-Andalus in music and in debates about Arab and Berber identities, Arab and Muslim feminisms, the politics of Palestine and Israel, and immigration and multiculturalism in Europe.

Format: Hardback
Length: 360 pages
Publication date: 16 May 2023
Publisher: Harvard University Press

“With extraordinary linguistic range,Calderwood brings us the voices of Arabs and Muslims who have turned to the distant past of Spain to imagine their future.” —Hussein Fancy,Yale University

How the memory of Muslim Iberia shapes art and politics from New York and Cordoba to Cairo and the West Bank.

During the Middle Ages,the Iberian Peninsula was home not to Spain and Portugal but rather to al-Andalus. Ruled by a succession of Islamic dynasties,al-Andalus came to be a shorthand for a legendary place where people from the Middle East,North Africa,and Europe; Jews,Christians,and Muslims lived together in peace. That reputation is not entirely deserved,yet,as On Earth or in Poems shows,it has had an enduring hold on the imagination,especially for Arab and Muslim artists and thinkers in Europe,the Middle East,and North Africa. From the vast and complex story behind the name al-Andalus,Syrians and North Africans draw their own connections to historys ruling dynasties. Palestinians can imagine themselves as “Moriscos,” descended from Spanish Muslims forced to hide their identities. A Palestinian flamenco musician in Chicago,no less than a Saudi womens rights activist,can take inspiration from al-Andalus. These diverse relationships to the same past may be imagined,but the present-day communities and future visions those relationships foster are real. Where do these notions of al-Andalus come from? How do they translate into aspiration and action? Eric Calderwood traces the role of al-Andalus in music and in debates about Arab and Berber identities,Arab and Muslim feminisms,the politics of Palestine and Israel,and immigration and multiculturalism in Europe. The Palestinian poet Mahmud Darwish once asked,“Was al-Andalus / Here or there? On earth … or i.

The memory of Muslim Iberia has a profound impact on art and politics across the globe. From New York and Cordoba to Cairo and the West Bank, artists and thinkers have drawn inspiration from the rich history of al-Andalus, a legendary place where people from the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe coexisted in peace. While the reputation of al-Andalus as a utopia may not be entirely accurate, it has had a lasting influence on the imagination, particularly among Arab and Muslim artists and thinkers in Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. In his book, On Earth or in Poems, Eric Calderwood explores the diverse relationships that contemporary communities have with al-Andalus, from the perspective of Syrians and North Africans who draw connections to the ruling dynasties of the past. Palestinians, for example, can imagine themselves as “Moriscos,” descendants of Spanish Muslims forced to hide their identities. Flamenco musicians in Chicago and Saudi women's rights activists can both find inspiration in al-Andalus. These diverse connections to the same past may be imagined, but the present-day communities and future visions that they foster are real. Calderwood traces the role of al-Andalus in music, debates about Arab and Berber identities, Arab and Muslim feminisms, the politics of Palestine and Israel, and immigration and multiculturalism in Europe. He shows how the memory of al-Andalus continues to shape aspirations and actions in these diverse contexts. The Palestinian poet Mahmud Darwish once asked, “Was al-Andalus / Here or there? On earth … or i.

In conclusion, the memory of Muslim Iberia has a profound impact on art and politics across the world. From New York and Cordoba to Cairo and the West Bank, artists and thinkers have drawn inspiration from the rich history of al-Andalus, a legendary place where people from the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe coexisted in peace. While the reputation of al-Andalus as a utopia may not be entirely accurate, it has had a lasting influence on the imagination, particularly among Arab and Muslim artists and thinkers in Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. Eric Calderwood's book, On Earth or in Poems, provides a valuable exploration of the diverse relationships that contemporary communities have with al-Andalus, from the perspective of Syrians and North Africans who draw connections to the ruling dynasties of the past. Palestinians, for example, can imagine themselves as “Moriscos,” descendants of Spanish Muslims forced to hide their identities. Flamenco musicians in Chicago and Saudi women's rights activists can both find inspiration in al-Andalus. These diverse connections to the same past may be imagined, but the present-day communities and future visions that they foster are real. The memory of al-Andalus continues to shape aspirations and actions in these diverse contexts, and it is important to recognize the significance of this legacy in shaping our understanding of the world.

Weight: 680g
Dimension: 235 x 156 x 32 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780674980365