Illume/Knapp - Teófilo Ruiz, PhD

Location

Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice, Peace and Justice Theatre

Free

1492 has long been seen in Spanish historiography as marking the “miracle year” of the Spanish Monarchy. That year, often considered by some as marking the boundaries between medieval and early modern, witnessed the final conquest of Granada, the edict to expel the Jews from Spain, and the encounter between the Old World and the New. In Spanish culture, these events had been seen in a triumphalist vein. In this lecture, Ruiz will show 1492 from the perspective of the defeated, from those who were exiled or enslaved, and for whom the consequences of 1492 were nefarious indeed. Following Walter Benjamin, one may argue that his argument that there is no monument of civilization, that it is not also a monument to barbarity, also fully applies to 1492.

The College of Arts and Sciences is the liberal arts heart of the University of San Diego. Our students and faculty exemplify the power, vitality and value of a liberal arts and sciences education every day. To champion the tradition and future of the artes liberales, we have created the Humanities Center Illume Speaker Series featuring our own renowned faculty scholars, invited thought-leaders and prominent public figures to advance the liberal arts on our campus and inspire lifelong learning in our surrounding communities.