Presented the Holberg Prize

Prior to the award ceremony, the Crown Prince granted the Holberg Prize Laureate an audience at Bergenhus Fortress.

Analyses stories and myths

Marina Warner is receiving the honour for her work on the analysis of stories and myths and how they reflect their time and place.

“Her recent prize-winning Stranger Magic: Charmed States & the Arabian Nights (2011) demonstrates how the Arabian Nights was transformed by European editors and translators from a syncretic and evolving account of interactions among Christian, Islamic and Eastern peoples into a scholarly compendium that ‘othered’ Arabic and Turkish culture. At the same time her book makes us aware of how the Arabian Nights contributed in unexpected ways to modern European culture,” writes the Holberg Committee in its citation. 

The Committee continues: “Warner’s work is outstanding for its originality, range, ambition, seriousness, and its alertness to fresh cultural impulses. It is deeply attentive to differences of language, context and translation.”

The Holberg Prize

The Holberg Prize is awarded annually to scholars who have made outstanding contributions to research in the arts and humanities, social science, law or theology. The prize is named after the Danish-Norwegian writer Ludvig Holberg.

The prize of NOK 4.5 million was awarded for the first time in 2004. The objective of the prize is to increase awareness of the value of academic scholarship within the arts, humanities, social sciences, law and theology. The Holberg Prize was established by the Storting, and is administered by the University of Bergen on assignment from the Ministry of Education and Research.

The Nils Klim Prize

During the award ceremony in Håkon’s Hall, the Danish social scientist Rebecca Adler-Nissen received the Nils Klim Prize for 2015. Minister of Education and Research Torbjørn Røe Isaksen presented the award.

The Nils Klim Prize is awarded to younger Nordic researchers who have made outstanding contributions within one or more areas of the humanities, social science, law or technology.

In the evening, the Crown Prince attended a banquet at the Bergenhus Fortress in honour of the prize-winners.