USSO 286S - Mystics, Inquisitors, and Deviance in the Early Modern Spanish World

Institution:

Case Western Reserve University

Subject:

Description:

What role does religion play in constructing social norms? Does religion function primarily to enforce social conformity and maintain the status quo, or does it give a voice to protest and dissent from marginalized individuals and groups? Within the Christian tradition, these questions have transcended time and place. This course explores these questions in the context of sixteenth-century Spain. Similar to contemporary American society, sixteenth-century Spain seemed to encourage religious fervor, but did not tolerate religious figures or groups that threatened the status quo. During this time, Spain experienced an explosion of individuals who claimed to have direct experiences of the divine, and authorities invested much time and energy to differentiate between authentic, orthodox mysticism, and fraudulent heresy. In the last 40 years, social theory has allowed historians to unlock the relationship between religion, gender, authority, and social structure. These issues are at the forefront of contemporary approaches to sixteenth-century Spanish mysticism, as the vast majority of individuals claiming mystical experiences were women. Even those who were judged to be orthodox had voiced strong criticisms of Spain's church and government while alive, but after death were celebrated for their obedience. We will examine a variety of media that represent mystical experience in Spain's Golden Age, including: short stories, autobiography and biography, mystical texts, inquisition trials, and works of art. Additionally, we will encounter how the legacy of Golden Age Spanish mysticism has been transmitted to our own time in historical narratives and film. Thus, the goals of this course are twofold. Students will learn to employ a contemporary academic lens and gain understanding of a historical context that is both similar to, and different from, our own. Prereq: Passing letter grade in a 100 level first year seminar in USFS, FSSO, FSCC, FSNA, FSSY or FSCS. Prereq or Coreq: FSTS 100.

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.case.edu

Phone Number:

(216) 368-2000

Regional Accreditation:

North Central Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

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