Dr. Kevin R. Wittmann
Holding a degree in Art History from the Universidad de La Laguna and a Master’s Degree in Medieval European Identity from the Universitat de Lleida, Dr. Kevin R. Wittmann received his doctoral degree from the Universidad de La Laguna for the thesis “El imaginario oceánico. Las islas del Atlántico meridional en los mappaemundi medievales (siglos IX-XIV)“.
His main lines of research are the history of cartography from the cultural history perspective and the paradigmatic changes between the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance, especially as expressed in late medieval health treaties. He has also worked on restoring medieval manuscripts in poor condition through multispectral imaging. Furthermore, he has presented research results at various national and international congresses and publications, both in Europe and the United States of America.
Project Title: La construcción visual del Atlántico en la Baja Edad Media (siglos XIII-XV). Un acercamiento interdisciplinar
Abstract: The Atlantic Ocean has represented one of the crucial spaces for shaping the history of mankind. Throughout much of history considered as the last known frontier, this ocean has been of fundamental importance to the development of diverse cultures and its role in the historical, social, economic and cultural connections between Europe and America. However, in the centuries that preceded its empirical knowledge and the confirmation of its navigability, society built up a specific image of the ocean that needs taking into account when studying its historical and cultural realities.
In this project, I approach the importance of the Atlantic Ocean from the perspective of its imaginary in the late Middle Ages by adopting a transversal point of view, incorporating cartographic, literary, historical and artistic sources as objects of study able to return new insights into how medieval Europe understood the Atlantic, the mentally constructed relationship and how this relationship emerged as fundamental to gradually establishing empirical knowledge about the ocean.
Dr. Abdelkrim Ben-Nas Derrij
Graduating in Islamic Sciences (Uṣūl al-Dīn) from the al-Qarawiyyīn University (Fez), Faculty of Uṣūl al-Dīn (Islamic Sciences) of Tétouan, (Morocco) and a Master’s Degree in Learning and Teaching Spanish in Multilingual and International Contexts, Dr. Abdelkrim Ben-Nas Derrij was awarded his doctoral degree by Universidad de Alicante for the thesis “Al-Ināla l-‘ilmiyya de Ibn Luyūn, resumen de al-Risāla l-šuštariyya, epístola de al-Šuštarī en defensa de las prácticas de los sufíes. Estudio, edición crítica árabe y traducción española”.
Project Title: El sufismo en la península ibérica. Al-Šuštarī (610/1212-668/1269) piedra angular en la historia del sufismo
Abstract: The Granadian Sufi poet Abū l-Ḥasan al-Šuštarī (Guadix 610/1212-Egypt 668/1269), a favourite disciple of ‛Abd al-Ḥaqq Ibn Sab‛īn the Murcian, is the most celebrated of all composers of Sufi céjeles. We would note that while his poetry has been widely studied, his prose works have remained broadly overlooked. In particular, his al-Risāla l-‛alamiyya provides a response to criticism of the behaviour, actions and ways of life of Sufi fakirs.