"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"--