“Mixed, but not mixed” : negotiating interreligious marriages in Ceuta’s convivencia

Abstract

Angela and Yusef’s desire to cohabit after years of secret courtship, while still seeking their families’ approval, led them to adopt various strategies to reconcile their personal aspirations with the expectations of their respective Muslim and Christian families. Both were raised in Ceuta, a small Spanish enclave on the North African Mediterranean coast, just across the Strait of Gibraltar. Ceuta is often celebrated for its ethno-religious diversity - home to Christians, Muslims and smaller Hindu and Jewish communities - and for its idealised narrative of convivencia. [extract]