Muslim Disneyland and Moroccan Danger Zones

As the longest-held territory of “Moorish” Spain, the city of Granada has long symbolized southern Spain’s Muslim history. Today, in the context of significant Muslim immigration over the last several decades, Granada has become a potent symbol of the “return” of Islam to Spain since the country’s transition to democracy. This paper examines how Muslims are simultaneously incorporated into and excluded from social and political life in Granada through their association with particular urban spaces. Specifically, I compare two neighborhoods where Muslims reside, conduct business, and enjoy leisure activities—the touristy, old “Moorish quarter” and a peripheral residential zone. I argue that each neighborhood is becoming associated with Islam in the city’s public imagination, but in starkly different ways that ultimately foster both inclusion and exclusion of Muslims.