Skip to main content
Kent State University Home

Open Access Kent State (OAKS)

  • About
    • About
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Rights and Reuse
  • Browse
    • Authors
    • Collections
    • Communities
    • Subjects
  • Login

Spain’s Atonement for the Inquisition

  1. Open Access Kent State
  2. Conferences & Events
  3. Undergraduate Research Symposium
  4. 2016 - Kent State University Undergraduate Symposium on Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity
  5. Kent State University Undergraduate Symposium on Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity
  6. Spain’s Atonement for the Inquisition
File
Author(s)
  • Erin C LaFargue
  • Patrick Gallagher
Abstract

In 2015, a law in Spain was passed that grants dual citizenship to Jews who can trace their ancestry to Spain. Jews who trace their ancestry to Spain are known as Sephardic Jews. The Spanish government passed the law as atonement to the Sephardim on account of their expulsion by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella in 1492. Approximately 200,000 Jews were forced to leave the country. Others were forced to convert to Catholicism or suffer the consequences of being caught practicing Judaism. It should be noted that the new law has received criticism on account of its overly restrictive nature. Critics claim that, in the end, very few Sephardic Jews will succeed in gaining dual citizenship. Nevertheless, no such law whatsoever has been proposed offering dual citizenship to Muslims, who were expelled from Spain in 1609. The purpose of this study is to consider the apparent contradiction between granting dual citizenship to Sephardic Jews, however limited, but not to the Muslim descendants of Spain. The research is conducted through examination of scholarly articles, newspapers articles, and the text of the law itself. This paper is expected to demonstrate that both Muslims of Spanish descent and Sephardic Jews should be offered the right to Spanish citizenship.

Format
Conference Proceeding
Publication Date
2016-03-15
Contributor(s)
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Patrick Gallagher
Modified Abstract

In 2015, Spain passed a law granting Sephardic Jews dual citizenship but not to the Muslims of Spain. It was passed to serve as atonement for the expulsion of the Jews in 1492. This study investigates the arguments associated with the law as well as those associated with whether or not this right should be extended to the Muslims of Spain, who were expelled from Spain in 1609. Through the examination of scholarly articles, newspaper articles, and the text of the law itself, this paper is expected to demonstrate that both Muslims of Spanish descent and Sephardic Jews should be offered the right to Spanish citizenship.

Download full text 154.74KB
  • Facebook
  • Linkedin
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Email
Open Access Kent State
University Libraries

Street Address

1125 Risman Dr.
Kent, OH 44242

Mailing Address

P.O. Box 5190
Kent, OH 44242-0001

Contact Us

  • oaks [at] kent [dot] edu

Quick Links

  • About
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Rights and Reuse

Information

  • Accessibility
  • Annual Security Reports
  • Emergency Information
  • For Our Alumni
  • For the Media
  • Health Services
  • Jobs & Employment
  • May 4th, 50th Commemoration
  • Privacy Statement
  • Website Feedback
Kent State University Home
© 2021 Kent State University All rights reserved.