Arnoldo Palacios on his centenary: critical review and research perspectives

Resolution 0020 of 2024 of the Ministry of Culture, Arts, and Knowledge designated 2024 as the centenary of the birth of the writer Arnoldo Palacios, “para celebrar la vida del escritor, intelectual y defensor de la cultura afrocolombiana, pacífica y chocoana» (to celebrate the life of the writer, intellectual, and defender of Afro-Colombian, Pacific, and Chocoan culture.) This article presents a critical review of the research in his work to identify the main analytical trends, theoretical frameworks, and methodological strategies used in diverse studies. Through a critical analysis of the available corpus, four interpretive lines were identified: first, approaches to the historical and social context of his writings; second, perspectives highlighting the Afro-Colombian cultural and ethnic identity represented in his narrative; third, studies on the author’s critical reception in the Colombian intellectual field; and fourth, analyses of the literary style and linguistic techniques of the Chocoan writer. This exercise highlights both the contributions and limitations of the existing literature. It also supports the dissemination of his legacy, emphasizes advances in his critical reception, and encourages new research in his work.