Nostalgic Nation Branding: Philo-Sephardism and the Reimagining of Spanish Identity in the 2015 Citizenship Law

Abstract

The paper explores the depiction of Sephardic and Jewish identities within the 2015 Spanish citizenship law for descendants of Jews who were expelled from Spain in 1492, arguing that the law has been deployed as a nation branding tool. Drawing on theories of belonging and liminality, the paper investigates how Spain employs Philo-Semitism and Philo-Sephardism as tools to reshape its national image, portraying Sephardic Jews as an integral but lost component of Spanish heritage. Through a comparative analysis with Germany’s case of the so-called “Jewish contingency refugees” of the 1990s, the study questions the underlying motives behind Spain’s citizenship law. The paper, therefore, explores the role and place of Philo-Sephardism in the discussions of the law, and how the portrayal of Jews is entangled with Spain’s revision of its history, responsibility, and self-perception. It demonstrates not only how Spain engages in rewriting its past in favourable terms but also uses the very law as a way of presenting itself in a new light at present. The paper, therefore, contributes to a deeper understanding of the evolving narrative of Philo-Sephardism and its impact on Spain’s diplomatic strategies, potentially reflecting broader trends in the diplomatic utilisation of Jewish history worldwide.