No abstract
If one accepts that the preoccupations of the present generally inform or give shape to the retrospective gaze of historians, one can perhaps begin to understand the overriding interest of scholars of Puerto Rico in interrogating the Caribbean nation's modern history from diverse theoretical and methodological perspectives. The centennial of the enactment of the Jones Act of 1917 prompted conferences and publications that examined historical, social, political, and juridical aspects of the landmark, yet controversial legislation granting US citizenship to the people of Puerto Rico. CENTRO Journal and Op. Cit.-leading academic journals in the field of Puerto Rican Studies-dedicated special issues to the timely topic (bi2019000530 and bi2019000539, respectively). A growing body of literature deals with the contributions of prominent political leaders and intellectuals to the formation of modern Puerto Rico. On the one hand, these works are heavily concentrated on autonomismo and estadismo, two of the main political currents in 20th-century Puerto Rican politics. On the other, this scholarship explores key aspects of the history of the Estado Libre Asociado (or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico), established in 1952. A reprint of selected writings of Luis Muñoz Rivera, the influential autonomista leader, appears in Campañas políticas (bi2018001318). The Centro Interamericano para el Estudio de las Dinámicas Políticas (CIEDP) at the Universidad Interamericana maintains a vigorous research agenda on political elites. Recent volumes focus on Antonio Fernós Isern (bi2018001328), the intellectual architect of the Estado Libre Asociado, and Rafael Martínez Nadal (bi2018001320), a leading advocate of the Puerto Rican statehood movement during the 1920-1940 period. As is customary in these publications, the volumes contain extensive appendices of ancillary materials, including select speeches and personal correspondence. The creation of the Estado Libre Asociado continues to generate scholarly interest. Carlos Zapata Oliveras addresses the intense constitutional debates and contested political negotiations between Puerto Rican leaders, particularly Luis Muñoz Marín and Antonio Fernós Isern, the US executive office, and the US Congress over the creation of the political system that granted a degree of self-rule to the people of Puerto Rico (bi2018001315). Fernando Bayrón Toro provides a comprehensive history of elections and political parties in Puerto Rico dating back to the early 19th century (bi2019000528).
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