Renato Prada Oropeza (born October 17, 1937 – September 9, 2011) was a Bolivian and Mexican scientist- literary researcher and writer, author of novels, short stories and poetry books,

hermeneutics Hermeneutics () is the theory and methodology of interpretation, especially the interpretation of biblical texts, wisdom literature, and philosophical texts. As necessary, hermeneutics may include the art of understanding and communication. ...

semiotics Semiotics ( ) is the systematic study of sign processes and the communication of meaning. In semiotics, a sign is defined as anything that communicates intentional and unintentional meaning or feelings to the sign's interpreter. Semiosis is a ...

and

literary theory Literary theory is the systematic study of the nature of literature and of the methods for literary analysis. Culler 1997, p.1 Since the 19th century, literary scholarship includes literary theory and considerations of intellectual history, m ...

. Many of his literary works have been translated into several languages. He was one of the most distinguished semioticians in Mexico and

Latin America Latin America is the cultural region of the Americas where Romance languages are predominantly spoken, primarily Spanish language, Spanish and Portuguese language, Portuguese. Latin America is defined according to cultural identity, not geogr ...

Biography

He was born in

Potosí Potosí, known as Villa Imperial de Potosí in the colonial period, is the capital city and a municipality of the Potosí Department, Department of Potosí in Bolivia. It is one of the list of highest cities in the world, highest cities in the wo ...

, Bolivia, in 1937. In 1976, due to the dictatorship in Bolivia, he moved to Mexico, where in 1983 he became a citizen. From 1976, Prada was a professor at the Autonomous University in

Xalapa Xalapa or Jalapa (, ), officially Xalapa-Enríquez (), is the capital city of the Mexico, Mexican List of states of Mexico, state of Veracruz and the name of the surrounding municipality. In 2020 census the city reported a population of 443,063 ...

, Mexico, and at the Autonomous University of

Puebla Puebla, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Puebla, is one of the 31 states that, along with Mexico City, comprise the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 217 municipalities and its capital is Puebla City. Part of east-centr ...

. He was also an academician of the National Council for Science and Technology of Mexico (an analog of the Academy of Sciences in other countries). He was married to the Mexican art historian Elda Rojas Aldunate. Their children are Ixchel Vanessa, who is a designer (especially a theatre designer); Ingmar, a researcher and professor of

physics Physics is the scientific study of matter, its Elementary particle, fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge whi ...

; and Fabrizio Prada, who is a Mexican

film director A film director or filmmaker is a person who controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfillment of that Goal, vision. The director has a key role ...

. Oropeza died in

, Mexico, on September 9, 2011; the cause of death was

kidney cancer Kidney cancer, also known as renal cancer, is a group of cancers that starts in the kidney. Symptoms may include blood in the urine, a lump in the abdomen, or back pain. Fever, weight loss, and tiredness may also occur. Complications can include ...

Science and literature

Oropeza held the degree of

Doctor of Philosophy A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, DPhil; or ) is a terminal degree that usually denotes the highest level of academic achievement in a given discipline and is awarded following a course of Postgraduate education, graduate study and original resear ...

from the

Sapienza University of Rome The Sapienza University of Rome (), formally the Università degli Studi di Roma "La Sapienza", abbreviated simply as Sapienza ('Wisdom'), is a Public university, public research university located in Rome, Italy. It was founded in 1303 and is ...

and a

Doctor Doctor, Doctors, The Doctor or The Doctors may refer to: Titles and occupations * Physician, a medical practitioner * Doctor (title), an academic title for the holder of a doctoral-level degree ** Doctorate ** List of doctoral degrees awarded b ...

Linguistics Linguistics is the scientific study of language. The areas of linguistic analysis are syntax (rules governing the structure of sentences), semantics (meaning), Morphology (linguistics), morphology (structure of words), phonetics (speech sounds ...

from the

Catholic University of Leuven University of Leuven or University of Louvain (; ) may refer to: * Old University of Leuven (1425–1797) * State University of Leuven (1817–1835) * Catholic University of Leuven (1834–1968) * Katholieke Universiteit Leuven or KU Leuven (1968 ...

in Belgium. He was the head of the scientific school of

in the Autonomous University of Puebla and editor of some Mexican academic journals on

and linguistics and semiotics. He directed doctoral researches, and his disciples work in Mexico, the United States, Italy, Russia, Guatemala, Spain and other countries. Some novels and short stories by Renato Prada have been translated into English and other languages. In addition to his literary and scientific work, he wrote the screenplays of some Mexican feature films, such as ''Tiempo Real'' (2002) and '' Chiles Xalapeños'' (2008), and several short films. His novel ''Los fundadores del alba'', winner of Prize Casa de las Américas in 1969, is considered one of the most significant works of Bolivian literature.

Awards

* Casa de las Américas (1969) for the novel ''Los fundadores del alba'' *Premio Nacional de Novela Erich Guttentag (1969) *Premio "Franja de Oro" of La Paz (Bolivia) (1970) * State Prize of Mexico (2008)

Publications

Source:

Novels

*''El último filo'' (1975, Planeta, Barcelona; 1985, Plaza & Janés, Barcelona; 1987, Arte y literatura, La Habana) *''Los fundadores del alba'' (published in Spain, Cuba, Bolivia, Mexico) *''Larga hora: la vigilia'' (1979, Premiá) *''Mientras cae la noche'' (1988, UV, Xalapa) *''...Poco después, humo'' (1989, BUAP, Col. Asteriscos, Puebla)

Short stories

*''Argal'' (1967, Los Amigos del Libro, Cochabamba) *''Ya nadie espera al hombre'' (1969, Don Bosco, La Paz) *''Al borde del silencio'' (1970, Alfa, Montivedeo) *''La ofrenda y otros relatos'' (1981, Premiá) ** single story: "Faruke". Transl. José Antonio Friedl Zapata. In: ''Ein neuer Name, ein fremdes Gesicht. 26 Erzählungen aus Lateinamerika.'' Luchterhand. Neuwied 1987, pp 198–211 *''Los nombres del infierno'' (1985, Universidad Autónoma de Chiapas) *''La noche con Orgalia y otros cuentos'' (1997, Universidad Iberoamericana y Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala) *''A través del hueco'' (1998, UNAM, Col. Rayuela, México) *''El pesebre y otros cuentos'' (2003, UNAM Col. Rayuela, México) *''Las máscaras de 'el Otro'' (2008, UV, Col. Ficción y BUAP).

Poetry

*''Palabras iniciales'' (2006, Editora de Gobierno, México) *''Ritual'' (2009, Secretaría de Cultura del estado de Puebla, México)

Screenplays

* ''En el umbral'' (1995) * ''Más abajo'' (1998) * ''La noche con Orgalia'' (2000) * ''Tiempo Real'' (2002) * '' Chiles Xalapeños'' (2008)

Semiotics

*''La autonomía literaria'' (1970, Los Amigos del Libro, Cochabamba) *''El lenguaje narrativo. Prolegómenos para una semiótica narrativa'' (1979, Educa, Costa Rica) *''Poética y liberación en la narrativa de Onelio Jorge Cardoso'' (1988, UV, Xalapa) *''Los sentidos del símbolo I'' (1990, UV, Xalapa) *''El lenguaje narrativo'' (1991, Departamento Editorial, Universidad Autónoma de Zacatecas) *''Análisis e interpretación del discurso narrativo-literario'' (1993, Departamento Editorial, Universidad Autónoma de Zacatecas) *''La narrativa de Sergio Pitol: los cuentos'' (1997, UV, Xalapa) *''Los sentidos del símbolo II'' (1998, Iberoamericana Golfo) *''Literatura y realidad'' (1999, F.C.E/UV/BUAP) *''El discurso-testimonio'' (2001, UNAM) *''Hermenéutica. Símbolo y conjetura'' (2003, Ibero/BUAP) *''La constelación narrativa de Ignacio Solares'' (2003, Ediciones y Gráficos Eón, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla) *''La narrativa de la revolución mexicana. Primer periodo'' (2007, Universidad Veracruzana/UIA Puebla) *''Los sentidos del símbolo III'' (2007, UV) *''Estética del discurso literario'' (2010, F.C.E.-BUAP)

References

External links

Official site of Dr. Renato Prada Oropeza, in Spanish
{{DEFAULTSORT:Prada Oropeza, Renato 1937 births 2011 deaths 20th-century Mexican male writers 20th-century Mexican novelists 20th-century Mexican poets 20th-century short story writers 21st-century Mexican male writers 21st-century Mexican poets Bolivian emigrants to Mexico Bolivian male writers Literary critics of Spanish Mexican male novelists Mexican male poets Mexican male short story writers Mexican screenwriters Mexican short story writers Naturalized citizens of Mexico Semioticians