rofessor Martha C. Nussbaum, a philosopher whose them,” said Graeme Turner, chair of the Holberg prolific and influential contributions have made her Prize Committee, in a citation released in March. “Her Pone of the world’s leading public intellectuals, has influence and impact extend well beyond her own been named the winner of the 2021 Holberg Prize—one disciplines, and she has demonstrated an exceptional of the largest international awards given to an outstanding commitment to the task of distributing the benefits of researcher in and , the social sciences, academic knowledge to a wider public.” law, or theology. A member of the faculty since Nussbaum, the University of Chicago’s Ernst Freund 1995, Nussbaum has written more than two dozen books, Distinguished Service Professor of Law and , is including Citadels of Pride: Sexual Abuse, Accountability, appointed in both the Law School and the Philosophy and Reconciliation (W. W. Norton & Company, May Department. 2021) and three in progress. In addition, she has published about 500 articles and edited 26 books. Her books have been translated into two dozen languages. Nussbaum is widely respected for her NUSSBAUM commitment to human well-being— AWARDED including her work on the philosophy of emotions and 2021 HOLBERG her development of the Capabilities Approach, a measure PRIZE of global welfare PHILOSOPHER RECOGNIZED that examines what a FOR MAKING A ‘REAL nation’s individuals are actually able to AND LASTING DIFFERENCE be and do. Centered on the idea of respect TO PEOPLE ACROSS for the agency and THE WORLD’ opportunity of By Becky Beaupre Gillespie each individual, the Capabilities Approach, developed in different versions The Holberg Prize Committee cited the breadth and by Nussbaum and economist Amartya Sen, has shaped the influence of Nussbaum’s work, as well as “her stupendous global conversation about human rights and development. intellectual energy and productivity [that she carries] to “While Nussbaum’s eminence in her fields of academic address issues of major academic concern, as well as issues endeavor is unquestionable, what is particularly admirable that have concrete economic, political, and legal impact.” is her dedication to the task of putting her knowledge “Professor Nussbaum’s writing is always scrupulous to work, towards making a real and lasting difference to about arguments, perceptive about human emotions people across the world,” Turner wrote. and vulnerability, and attentive to the realities of human Nussbaum’s wide-ranging work spans moral and political situations, social interactions, and the many forms of theory, emotions, human rights, social equality, education, dependence and interdependence that can arise within the philosophy of literature, , animal rights,

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ancient Greek and Roman philosophy, cosmopolitanism, of legal and societal import. and more, often bringing what the Holberg Prize “Martha is a tremendously engaged member of our Committee called “a distinctive, passionate, powerful, and community, and one for whom the interdisciplinary much needed, voice.” mission is paramount,” Miles said. “She combines the Much of Nussbaum’s work centers on the costs and humanities with law, philosophy, public affairs, and the beauty of human vulnerability. arts in singular fashion. She is a powerful advocate for “On the one hand, I have spent many years producing education in the arts through her books, her commentaries philosophical accounts of emotions, which are our inner on opera performances, and her own singing. Over road map of our significant vulnerable attachments, and the past decade, she has led six conferences on law how they are faring in a world of uncontrolled events,” she and literature, each of which resulted in a volume of said. “On the other hand, in developing the Capabilities provocative essays. Her dedication to both her work and to Approach, I have asked this question: ‘What forms of our world is truly remarkable. She is exceedingly deserving vulnerability and impeded activity are incompatible with of this honor.” political justice?’ A just society will protect its citizens Robertson called Nussbaum an “unconditionally from hunger, lack of medical care, sexual assault, and generous scholar.” a variety of other obstacles to a flourishing life, while “Martha is the rare academic whose work influences protecting significant freedoms of choice.” both her scholarly colleagues and the broader public,” In recent work, she has been extending the approach to Robertson said. “Her work draws on her vast knowledge the lives of non-human animals. of ancient thought and modern science, literature and Nussbaum will receive the award worth approximately , and moral philosophy. As a result, US$705,000. she has profoundly transformed our understanding of In addition to her Law School and Philosophy culture, society, and human life.” Department appointments, Nussbaum is an associate in Nussbaum’s numerous awards include the Berggruen the Classics Department, the Divinity School, and the Prize in Philosophy and Culture (2018), the Don M. Department, as well as a member of Randel Prize for Achievement in the Humanities from the Committee on Southern Asian Studies, and a board the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2018), member of the Human Rights Program. and the Kyoto Prize in Arts and Philosophy (2016). “Professor Nussbaum is unique among classicists, Nussbaum, who received her PhD from Harvard in philosophers, and professors of law,” Law School Dean 1975 (Classical Philology), has received honorary degrees Thomas J. Miles, the Clifton R. Musser Professor of Law from more than 60 colleges and universities in the US, and Economics, and Humanities Division Dean Anne W. , Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Europe. She Robertson, the Claire Dux Swift Distinguished Service is an academician in the Academy of Finland, a fellow Professor in the Department of Music and the College, wrote of the British Academy, and a member of the American in a letter nominating Nussbaum for the prize. “She has an Academy of Arts and Sciences. She is also a member of extraordinarily fertile and exciting mind, and everything she the American Philosophical Association, where she was writes is marked by a combination of passionate commitment President of the Central Division from 1999 to 2000. with scholarly and conceptual sophistication.” She has taught at Harvard University, Brown University, Nussbaum has had an extraordinary impact at the and Oxford University. University, particularly in creating opportunities for The Holberg Prize, established by the Norwegian interdisciplinary collaboration. She fostered interaction Parliament in 2003, is funded by the government of between the Law School and Philosophy Department Norway. Past Holberg Laureates include Harvard law through the annual Law and Philosophy Workshop, professor , a former member of the which she founded. She also recently endowed the Ernst University of Chicago Law School faculty; British- Freund Prize in Law and Philosophy, an award designed Canadian scholar Griselda Pollock; British scholar Paul to encourage advanced law and philosophy scholarship Gilroy; Bulgarian-French psychoanalyst and among graduate students. In addition, she endowed philosopher ; German philosopher and student roundtables at the Law School to facilitate sociologist Jürgen Habermas; Spanish sociologist Manuel discussions between professors and students about topics Castells; and British philosopher Onora O’Neill.

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