Swedish intellectuals form a new literary prize at a Nobel event



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However, some observers are skeptical as to whether the New Academy can compare itself to the history of the Nobel Prize for Literature Recognizing Distinguished Authors

Published 12:25 PM, July 07, 2018

Updated 12:26 PM, July 07, 2018

  NEW PRICE. More than a hundred Swedish intellectuals form a new literary body in protest, after the Swedish Academy, which selects the Nobel laureates, has plunged into a crisis of long links. date with a man accused of sexual assault on several women. Nobel Museum file photo by Jonathan Nackstrand / AFP

NEW PRICE. More than a hundred Swedish intellectuals form a new literary body in protest, after the Swedish Academy, which selects the Nobel laureates, has plunged into a crisis of long links. date with a man accused of sexual assault on several women. Nobel Museum Photo by Jonathan Nackstrand / AFP

STOCKHOLM, Sweden – What are you doing when this year's Nobel Prize for Literature, the most prestigious award in the world, is postponed because of a scandal? Sexual assault?

More than 100 Swedish intellectuals joined forces to form a new protest body after the Swedish Academy, which chose the Nobel laureates, was plunged into crisis for its links. long-standing with a man accused The alternative honor serves to denounce "bias, arrogance and sexism," according to its founders The New Academy, whose members include writers, artists, and journalists.

It is intended to "remind people that literature and culture in general should promote democracy, transparency, empathy and respect, without privilege," wrote the 107 intellectuals in a joint statement.

As the #MeToo movement made waves globally, the media published testimonials from 18 women claiming to have been raped, sexually assaulted or harassed by an influential French cultural personality who has long been linked to it. institution.

The revelations led the Academy to announce In May, there will be no Nobel Prize for Literature this year, as disagreements over how to handle the scandal have sown discord among its 18 members and led 6 to resign – including the first permanent secretary of Sara Danius

. the absence of a Nobel Prize for the first time in nearly 70 years was unacceptable.

"Sweden is one of the most democratic, transparent and equal countries in the world … it needs a great literary prize" and one of the founders of the new award, Alexandra Pascalidou told Agence France-Presse (AFP).

"Open and Inclusive"

The members of the Swedish Academy were appointed for life before his protector, King of Sweden Carl XVI Gustaf, was forced to change the statutes, which allowed the members of

The resigning member Kjell Espmark told the newspaper Dagens Nyheter that the institution had "succumbed to nepotism, tried to conceal serious violations, corrupted macho values ​​and arrogant harassment ".

] Regarded as the holder of high culture, the Swedish Academy, founded in 1786, is traditionally known for its integrity and discretion, with meetings and decisions on prices held secret.

But the New Academy plans to do its awarding process "We want to create something that is open and inclusive and allows people to contribute," said Pascalidou.

The new literary prize – which carries a prize of one million crowns (about 97,000 euros, $ 113,000) collected through crowdfunding and donations – will be awarded at a ceremony on December 10 , the same day as the Nobel banquet.

Swedish librarians were invited to name up to two authors, with a deadline of 8 July. most nominations will then receive online votes from the public in Sweden and abroad.

On the basis of nominations and voting results, a jury composed of editors, teachers of literature, cultural journalists and critics will select four authors – two men and two women – and make the final choice [19659006] The winner, who can come from anywhere in the world and must have published at least one literary work in the last 10 years, will be announced on October 14, in the same month as the Nobel Prize. The price of literature would have been announced.

Skepticism, Warnings

But some observers are skeptical as to whether the New Academy can compare itself to the history of the Nobel Prize for Literature to recognize such eminent writers as the "Nobel Prize". Ernest Hemingway, Albert Camus, Boris Pasternak, Alice Munro and Doris Lessing, among others

For Asa Linderborg, Editor-in-Chief of Everyday Culture Aftonbladet He is "deeply provocative" of the New Academy to use literature to promote moral values ​​and even "the most disturbing ideas". "Can become a quality literature"

"The art must be free, we can not label it on righteousness or evil … The New Academy is after a total purity … total goodness, "said Linderborg to AFP

that allowing the public, who may not have a deep understanding of languages ​​and books from different parts of the world, to vote for an author runs the risk of diverting the prize in favor of "predictable and translated in the West" literature.

"They are free to do what they want," said to AFP Per Wastberg, member of the Swedish Academy

the new prize for literature is the latest prize to be qualified as an alternative to the Nobel. , joining the Swedish Right Livelihood Award honoring those working to improve the planet, and Finland's Millennium Technology Prize. – Rappler.com

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