The invention of al-Andalus: discovering the past and creating the present in Granada's Islamic tourism sites

Granada's tourism industry reveals Spain's complex relationship with its Islamic past, marked by both historical nostalgia and contemporary tensions. A 2008 survey highlighted widespread negative perceptions of Muslims among Spaniards, yet Granada thrives as a tourist destination promoting the myth of 'convivencia'—a harmonious coexistence of Christians, Muslims, and Jews in medieval Iberia. This study uncovers three key 'inventions' of al-Andalus: the 19th-century Romantic rediscovery of its Oriental allure, the modern marketing efforts by the Legado Andalusí Foundation (influenced by nationalism and colonial discourse), and debates over Islam and Moroccan immigration in the Albayzín neighborhood. The research demonstrates how tourism both preserves and reinterprets Granada's Islamic heritage, reflecting broader societal contradictions.

Calderwood, E. (2014). The invention of al-Andalus: discovering the past and creating the present in Granada’s Islamic tourism sites. The Journal of North African Studies, 19(1), 27–55. https://doi.org/10.1080/13629387.2013.862777