Holberg International Memorial Prize

The Holberg International Memorial Prize was established in 2003 by the government of Norway with the objective of increasing awareness of the value of academic scholarship within the arts, humanities, social sciences, law and theology, either within one of these fields or through interdisciplinary work. The prize was established in honour of Ludvig Holberg and complements the Abel Prize in mathematics established in 2002.

The Holberg prize draws on the 200 million Norwegian kroner Ludvig Holberg Memorial Fund, established on 1 July 2003 by the Norwegian Government. Responsibility for administering the Holberg Prize was given by the Government of Norway to the University of Bergen. In turn the University of Bergen has established a Board of the Ludvig Holberg Memorial Fund and appointed an academic committee composed of prominent researchers from relevant academic fields and different universities. The Board of the Ludvig Holberg Memorial Fund awards the annual prize on the basis of the recommendation of the academic committee's evaluation of nominations submitted by scholars holding a senior position at universities and other research institutions within the academic fields covered by the prize.

The prize includes a cash award of 4.5 million Norwegian
kroner (EUR 570,000 or USD 800,000).

The prize is named after the Dano-Norwegian writer Ludvig Holberg who excelled in all of the sciences covered by the award.

Recipients

* 2008: Fredric Jameson, William A. Lane Professor in The Program in Literature and Romance Studies at Duke University.
* 2007: Ronald Dworkin, professor of law and philosophy at New York University, USA and at University College London in the United Kingdom.
* 2006: Shmuel Eisenstadt, Professor emeritus in sociology at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem
* 2005: Jürgen Habermas, Professor emeritus, University of Frankfurt
* 2004: Julia Kristeva, Director of the Sciences des textes et documents Department, University of Paris 7 (Jussieu)

Holberg Prize Schools Project

Also awarded by the foundation is the Holberg Prize Schools Project. [ [http://www.holbergprisen.no/skole/en_skoleprosjekt.html The Holberg Prize - School projects] ] Students in upper secondary schools conduct their own research projects. Three finalists are selected from the entrants to receive the prize.

2006 Recipients

* Bergen Handelsgymnasium: "Youth and school lunch. What do the students eat at school?"
* Glemmen videregående skole: "Youth and Henrik Ibsen. What do today's young think of Ibsen?"
* Levanger videregående skole: "Youth and exchange programs: What effects do a stay abroad have on a student's attitudes, behaviour and career choices."

Committee

The Holberg Prize Academic Committee is composed of four members:
* Henning Koch, Professor of Law, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
* Stein Kuhnle, Professor of Comparative Social Policy, Hertie School of Governance, Berlin, Germany
* Toril Moi, Professor of Literature and Romance Studies, Duke University, Durham NC, USA
* Turid Karlsen Seim, Professor of Theology, University of Oslo, Norway

Criticism

The prize has attracted some controversy. The award committee, which counts three Norwegians and one Dane, has been criticised for lacking full academic credibility internationally, notably by Jon Elster.

References

External links

* [http://www.holbergprize.no/ The Holberg Prize website]
* [http://www.forskerforbundet.no/templates/Page.aspx?id=12836 Reactions, from the Norwegian researchers' association]
* [http://www.forskning.no/Artikler/2004/desember/1102423438.08 Debate, from "forskning.no"]
* [http://www.aftenposten.no/meninger/kronikker/article1517411.ece Jon Elster: Too much politeness, too little quality] , about Norwegian academic life in general and the Holberg Prize in particular