The Holberg Prize awarded to Professor of Sociology Manuel Castells

The Holberg Prize Laureate of 2012 is Professor of Sociology Manuel Castells. Castells’ research includes topics such as urbanisation and new information technology.

-  Castells’ research explores questions that are high on the political agenda, namely how the possibilities and challenges of modern information technology change our society. I congratulate Professor Castells on the award, says Minister of Education and Research Kristin Halvorsen.

 

Manuel Castells is professor of sociology and communication studies at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, the University of California, Berkeley, and at the Open University of Catalonia. Among his most important work is the trilogy The Information Age, which analyzes how modern information technology influences society.

 

-  Castells’ research casts new light on the importance of committing to education and knowledge, so that all parts of our population can participate in the information community. When technological development and innovation is not shared by all parts of our population, we create a deeper inequality between people, says Halvorsen.

 

The Nils Klim Award for Young Nordic Researchers within the humanities, social sciences, law and theology is awarded to the Danish researcher Sara Binzer Hobolt at London School of Economics and Political Science. Hobolt’s research includes studies of the conditions for democratic politics.

 

-  At a young age Sara Hobolt has achieved impressing academic results. I hope that by awarding the Nils Klim Prize to Hobolt we will inspire other young researchers, says Halvorsen.

 

The Holberg Prize amounts to 4,5 million NOK and was established by the Norwegian Government in 2003. It is awarded every year for outstanding scientific work within the humanities, social sciences, law and theology. Manuel Castells will receive the prize at a formal ceremony in Håkonshallen in Bergen on June 6th.

 

The Nils Klim Prize amounts to 250 000 NOK. Sara Hobolt will also receive the prize in Bergen on June 6th.