Nobel Prize in Literature to be awarded again

The Nobel Prize in Literature will once again be awarded, and this autumn Laureates for both 2018 and 2019 will be announced. 

The Nobel Foundation's Board of Directors believes that the steps that the Swedish Academy has taken and intends to take will create good opportunities for restoring trust in the Academy as a prize-awarding institution.

During the past year, the Nobel Foundation has had a close dialogue with the Swedish Academy about the problems that arose in late 2017 and early 2018. 

Several important changes have been implemented since then. The Academy's regulations have been amended, making it possible for members to resign. 

The statutes have been clarified. Several new members have been elected. The Academy also no longer includes any members who are subject to conflict of interest or criminal investigations.

Given the situation that has arisen, in order to increase confidence in the Nobel Prize in Literature the Swedish Academy has also approved a new system for its Nobel Committee for the next few years. 

Five independent external members, who will add valuable new perspectives, will participate in the task of selecting Nobel Laureates. The new committee will submit its own joint proposal for a Nobel Laureate. 

The Nobel Foundation has also learned that the Swedish Academy has changed the composition of the Nobel Committee so that it no longer includes members who have been associated with the past year's events. The new system is applied to both the 2018 and 2019 prizes.

One important element of the Nobel Foundation’s dialogue with the Swedish Academy has been the question of changes in the Academy's future regulations, organisational structure and working methods. 

Several changes of this kind have already been made. The organisational structure has been clarified and the Academy intends to practice greater openness, for example concerning its finances. The Academy has now also undertaken to investigate the issue of how expulsion cases should be handled in the future. Furthermore, the Academy is studying the potential for introducing some form of time limitation on membership, in order to simplify ongoing future reforms in its activities while ensuring continued suitable competency and work capacity.

Overall, during the past year the Swedish Academy has taken a number of important steps to deal with the problems that arose late in 2017, and more are planned. 

Although it will take time to fully restore confidence, the Board of the Nobel Foundation believes that the prerequisites for this are now good. 

Given the reforms that have been implemented and planned, the Swedish Academy has the opportunity not only to put the past year behind it, but also to become a better-functioning organisation in the future.