Description
Knowledge and society in al-Andalus
Book summary
This work offers a deep analysis of the interrelation between knowledge and social structure in al-Andalus. Through the lectures presented at the Islamic Culture Courses in Almonaster la Real (2003-2004), the reader will discover how Andalusi intellectual production was not an isolated phenomenon, but was conceived and developed in close connection with the organization and dynamics of society. An essential study for understanding the cultural complexity of the period.
What is it about?
The book brings together a set of studies that explore the development of knowledge in al-Andalus, analyzing how this process was conditioned by, and in turn influenced, social organization. The works address everything from institutions and agents of knowledge to the tensions and dynamics that defined intellectual life. Key figures, centers of study, and the ways in which knowledge was disseminated, controlled, and used as a tool for power and social cohesion in the Andalusi context are examined.
Main topics
- Intellectual production in al-Andalus and its social context.
- Organization and dynamics of Andalusi society.
- The role of knowledge institutions (mosques, libraries, schools).
- Relationships between political power, social elites, and knowledge.
- Dissemination and transmission of knowledge in the Islamic West.
Who is it recommended for?
This book is aimed at historians, university students of Medieval History, History of Science, or Arab and Islamic Studies, as well as any reader interested in the culture, society, and thought of al-Andalus. It is especially useful for those seeking an academic and rigorous approach to the relationship between knowledge and social structures.
What this book contributes
- An updated and specialized vision of Andalusi intellectual history.
- Understanding of how knowledge was integrated into social and political life.
- Analysis of the figures and centers that promoted knowledge in al-Andalus.
- Keys to understanding the cultural complexity of Islamic Spain.
- An approach that connects the production of knowledge with social organization.
Technical specifications
- Author: García San Juan, Alejandro
- Publisher: University of Huelva
- Language: Spanish
- Topic: SOCIAL AND CULTURAL HISTORY
- Collection: COLLECTANEA
- Binding: Paperback
- Publication date: 06/11/20
- Number of pages: 283
- Weight: 468 g
Editorial review
This is an academic work that offers a rigorous and well-documented approach to a fundamental aspect of the history of al-Andalus. Its value lies in the ability to integrate the study of knowledge with the analysis of social dynamics, providing an enriching perspective for the specialist and the advanced student. The origin of the texts, the result of specialized courses, guarantees notable quality and depth in each of the chapters.