The Holberg Prize is an international award given annually for outstanding contributions to the humanities, social sciences, law, and theology. It is regarded as one of the most prestigious prizes in these disciplines, often described as the equivalent of a Nobel Prize for the humanities and social sciences.
The prize was established by the Parliament of Norway in 2003 and is named after Ludvig Holberg (1684–1754), a Danish–Norwegian writer, historian, philosopher, and playwright who made major contributions across the arts, humanities, and law. The award was created to recognize the importance of research in disciplines that help us understand human culture, society, and values.
The Holberg Prize is funded by the Norwegian government through the Ministry of Education and Research and administered by the University of Bergen. It was first awarded in 2004, and the ceremony takes place every June in Bergen, Norway, during what is known as the Holberg Week — a celebration that includes lectures, academic symposia, and public discussions. The laureate is usually announced in March, a few months before the award ceremony.
The prize amount is six million Norwegian kroner (NOK), which places it among the most financially significant academic prizes in the world. The laureate receives a diploma, medal, and the monetary award at a formal ceremony attended by academics, students, and dignitaries.
The Holberg Prize honors scholars whose work has had a profound international impact and demonstrates both intellectual depth and interdisciplinary reach. It can be awarded for contributions within one of the four eligible fields—humanities, social sciences, law, or theology—or for research that crosses disciplinary boundaries among them.
The nomination process is open to academic institutions and scholarly organizations worldwide. Nominations can only be submitted by scholars holding positions at recognized universities, academies, or research institutions; self-nominations are not allowed. Once nominations are received, the Holberg Committee, composed of internationally distinguished scholars, evaluates the candidates and recommends a laureate to the Holberg Board, which makes the final decision.
Alongside the main Holberg Prize, the organization also administers two related programs:
- The Nils Klim Prize, awarded to an outstanding young scholar under the age of 35 from a Nordic country whose research is in the same fields.
- The Holberg School Programme, which encourages interest in the humanities and social sciences among secondary school students.
The significance of the Holberg Prize lies in its mission to elevate the standing of the humanities and social sciences in global academic and public discourse. It highlights the essential role that these disciplines play in understanding and addressing complex issues—such as ethics, democracy, law, technology, identity, culture, and belief systems—that shape the human experience.
Ludvig Holberg, for whom the prize is named, embodied this spirit of intellectual breadth. His writings and ideas spanned philosophy, law, literature, and history, representing a humanistic ideal of knowledge that the modern prize seeks to honor.
Over the years, laureates have included some of the most influential thinkers in contemporary academia. For example, Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak received the 2025 Holberg Prize for her groundbreaking interdisciplinary work in comparative literature, postcolonial theory, feminist philosophy, and translation studies. Earlier laureates include Sheila Jasanoff, recognized for her research on the relationship between science, technology, and society; Paul Gilroy, for his work on race and culture; and Bruno Latour, for his influential studies in science and technology studies.
The Holberg Prize carries immense prestige, not only because of its monetary value but because of the intellectual weight of its recipients and the importance of the fields it represents. By recognizing scholarship that expands our understanding of human societies and values, it serves as a global statement about the continuing relevance of the humanities and social sciences in shaping a better and more reflective world.
In summary, the Holberg Prize is a Norwegian international award presented each year to a scholar who has made exceptional contributions to the humanities, social sciences, law, or theology. Administered by the University of Bergen and funded by the Norwegian government, it honors research of international significance and celebrates the humanistic pursuit of knowledge that transcends boundaries of discipline, geography, and tradition.