Sicily and the Mediterranean ─ Migration, Exchange, Reinvention

Positioned near the center of the Mediterranean, the island of Sicily has for centuries been an integral part of hegemonic European geopolitical formations as well as a meeting point where civilizations transformed one another and gave life to the cultural developments at the foundation of European modernity. At the same time, Sicily continues to be a key site of encounter, advancement, and dissemination of Mediterranean cultures. Yet, while the legacies of past and present cross-cultural encounters in Spain and other Mediterranean regions have received ample scholarly attention, Sicily's significance as a key Mediterranean crossroads has been neglected far too often. The interdisciplinary essays collected in this volume explore Sicily's complex and rich history as a locus where the interplay of diverse peoples, cultures, and religions has produced conflict but also new forms of material and intellectual exchange. They highlight Sicily's unique role as a junction between East and West and the Mediterranean and Europe, emphasizing the island's cultural influence across geographical and temporal boundaries.

Claudia Karagoz is Assistant Professor of Italian at St. Louis University, USA. Giovanna Summerfield is Associate Dean for Educational Affairs and Associate Professor at Auburn University, USA.