Holberg Debate to be launched 3 December

14.10.2016

3 December 2016 sees the launch of the Holberg Debate. The debate is inspired by Ludvig Holberg’s ideas of enlightenment and seeks to find answers on pressing issues to our time.

A main purpose of The Holberg Prize is to contribute to raising the status of the humanities, social sciences, law and theology, and to illustrate their relevance – not just within academia, but also in society at large. To this end, great dilemmas of our time should be examined, discussed and resolved both through an academic approach and through public discussion.

The Holberg Debate is inspired by Ludvig Holberg as man of the Age of Enlightenment. Thus, fundamental values such as reason, democracy, freedom of speech, human dignity, freedom of religion and equality will have a central role. The debate is planned as an annual event that will take place at the Bergen House of Literature on 3 December, the birthday of Ludvig Holberg.

A working party was established to decide upon topic, format and keynote speakers for this year’s debate. The party consists of five researches, all associated with the disciplines covered by the Holberg Prize.

The working party

  • Sindre Bangstad
  • Cathrine Holst
  • Kari Jegerstedt
  • Anine Kierulf
  • Torgeir Skorgen
  • Researcher Sindre Bangstad, Institute for Church, Religion, and Worldview Research
  • Associate professor Cathrine Holst, Institutt for sosiologi og samfunnsgeografi, University of Oslo.
  • Associate professor Kari Jegerstedt, Centre for Women’s and Gender Research, University of Bergen.
  • Research fellow  Anine Kierulf, Norwegian Centre for Human Rights, University of Oslo
  • Associate professor Torgeir Skorgen, Department of Foreign Languages, University of Bergen.

The working party met on 1 september in Bergen.

The programme for this year’s debate will be announced shortly. We can promise an exciting exchange of ideas on a current and pressing topic. We hope many of you will be able to attend the debate at the Bergen House of Literature, on 3 December, at 6:00 pm.