Department or Program
Interdisciplinary Studies
Abstract
This thesis examines the intertwined histories of pastoralism, colonial expansion, and religious violence in medieval and early modern Spain. It argues that the economic and symbolic significance of shepherding played a crucial role in both the consolidation of Christian rule and the racialization of Muslim and Jewish populations. By tracing the origins of Spain’s Merino wool economy to Muslim shepherding practices in al-Andalus, this study challenges dominant historiographical narratives that have erased non-Christian contributions to Spanish pastoral traditions. Furthermore, it explores how Christian rulers co-opted transhumant systems to fund territorial conquests, framing their expansion as a 're-conquest' rather than a colonial enterprise. Finally, the thesis investigates how metaphors of flock management were employed to justify exclusionary policies, including limpieza de sangre statutes and the eventual expulsion of Muslims and Jews. By bridging economic, political, and ideological histories, this research offers a critical reassessment of how pastoralism shaped the development of Spanish identity, state formation, and the expansion of sovereign power.
Level of Access
Restricted: Embargoed [Open Access After Expiration]
First Advisor
Tizzoni, Mark
Date of Graduation
5-2025
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Recommended Citation
McEvoy, Maria G., "Fabricating Purity: Muslim Transhumance, Colonization, and the Racial Politics of Spanish Shepherding" (2025). Honors Theses. 493.
https://scarab.bates.edu/honorstheses/493
Number of Pages
119
