prix Nobel
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| prix Nobel | |
|---|---|
| Name | Nobel Prize |
| Awarded for | Outstanding contributions in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, Peace, and Economic Sciences |
| Presenter | Nobel Foundation |
| Country | Sweden and Norway |
| First awarded | 1901 |
prix Nobel is an international set of annual awards established by the will of Alfred Nobel to recognize outstanding achievements in specified fields. The prizes are administered by Swedish and Norwegian institutions and have become among the most prestigious honors associated with individuals and organizations such as Marie Curie, Albert Einstein, Martin Luther King Jr., Ernest Hemingway, and Amartya Sen. The award apparatus connects historical bodies like the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the Swedish Academy, the Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet, and the Norwegian Nobel Committee.
History
The prizes originate from the 1895 testament of Alfred Nobel, a Swedish industrialist and inventor linked to firms like Bofors and innovations such as dynamite and research institutions in Stockholm. Early administration involved actors including the Nobel Foundation and legal processes within Swedish courts and legislative frameworks of Sweden and Norway. The inaugural 1901 laureates, including Wilhelm Röntgen and Jacobus Henricus van 't Hoff, set precedents followed through the 20th century with laureates like Niels Bohr, Marie Curie, and Linus Pauling. Major historical episodes intersecting the prizes include the impact of World War I, World War II, the Cold War, and diplomatic developments such as the Treaty of Versailles era and the rise of transnational bodies like the United Nations.
Categories and Selection Criteria
The original will specified prizes in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, and Peace, with a later associated prize in Economic Sciences established by the Sveriges Riksbank in memory of Alfred Nobel. Selection responsibilities rest with institutional electors: the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences for Physics and Chemistry, the Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet for Physiology or Medicine, the Swedish Academy for Literature, and the Norwegian Nobel Committee for Peace. Criteria emphasize "conferred to the person who shall have done the most or the best work" in the relevant fields, interpreted through evaluation by committees and expert reviewers from organizations such as Max Planck Society, Academia Europaea, Royal Society, National Academy of Sciences (United States), and leading universities like University of Cambridge, Harvard University, University of Oxford, and University of California, Berkeley.
Laureates and Notable Recipients
Laureates span scientists, authors, activists, and institutions. Scientific recipients include Albert Einstein, Erwin Schrödinger, Richard Feynman, Paul Dirac, Rosalind Franklin (note: not a Nobel laureate), Linus Pauling, Dorothy Hodgkin, and Ahmed Zewail. Literary laureates include Gabriel García Márquez, Toni Morrison, Bob Dylan, Svetlana Alexievich, and Samuel Beckett. Peace laureates encompass Mahatma Gandhi (note: never awarded), Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa, Barack Obama, Aung San Suu Kyi, International Committee of the Red Cross, and United Nations Peacekeeping Forces. Economics laureates include Milton Friedman, Paul Samuelson, Amartya Sen, Elinor Ostrom, and Joseph Stiglitz. Recipients often have affiliations with institutions like Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Princeton University, Columbia University, University of Chicago, and CERN.
Nomination and Prize Process
Nominations are solicited from qualified nominators such as professors at institutions like University of Paris, Kyoto University, members of academies including the Royal Society, former laureates, and heads of relevant organizations like World Health Organization and International Court of Justice. Committees review submissions, consult external referees from bodies such as Max Planck Institute, Institut Pasteur, Scripps Research, and Karolinska Institutet, and vote within the awarding institutions. Legal and procedural oversight involves the Nobel Foundation statutes and occasionally national courts in Sweden and Norway when disputes arise. The rules limit the number of co-recipients and contain posthumous restrictions that have affected cases involving figures like Sophie Scholl and Ignacy Jan Paderewski.
Prize Ceremony and Medal
Award ceremonies are held annually: the Peace Prize in Oslo at the Norwegian Nobel Institute and the other prizes in Stockholm at the Stockholm Concert Hall with a banquet at the Stockholm City Hall. Laureates receive a diploma, a gold medal designed by artists connected to institutions like the Royal Swedish Mint, and a monetary award managed by the Nobel Foundation endowment, historically invested in markets and institutions including Svenska Handelsbanken, Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken, and global financial centers in New York City and London. Medal designs have featured profiles of Alfred Nobel and inscriptions in Latin, and past ceremonies have been attended by dignitaries from monarchs such as the King of Sweden to heads of state and representatives from bodies like the European Union.
Criticism and Controversies
The prizes have faced debate over omissions, political controversies, and methodological disputes. Criticisms include perceived Eurocentrism cited by commentators comparing laureates from Western Europe and United States to those from Africa, Asia, and Latin America; contested awards such as those to Henry Kissinger, Aung San Suu Kyi, and Barack Obama; the exclusion of contributors in team-based sciences exemplified by debates around Rosalind Franklin and the DNA discovery; and discussions about the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel's legitimacy. Administrative controversies have involved the Swedish Academy scandals, legal disputes in Norwegian and Swedish courts, lobbying by governments and NGOs like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, and academic disputes voiced in outlets tied to Nature (journal), Science (journal), and The Lancet.