Slavery and the Forensic Theatricality of Human Rights in the Spanish Empire

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Focusing on the intersection of literature and human rights, this study explores how sixteenth- and nineteenth-century texts from the Spanish Empire employ theatrical and multisensory strategies to expose violence against enslaved individuals and advocate for their rights. It highlights the unique Spanish context, particularly the Salamanca School's early human rights discourse. By examining five forms of non-narrative theatricality—allegorical, carnivalesque, tragicomic, melodramatic, and tragic—the book delves into the forensic aesthetics of these literary works.