The Holberg Debate
The Holberg Debate is an annual event organised by the Holberg Prize. The debate is inspired by Ludvig Holberg's Enlightenment ideas and aims to explore pressing issues of our time.
The Holberg Debate was organised for the first time in 2016 and has since been held annually, on the first Saturday in December. Ludvig Holberg's birthday was 3 December, and the event is inspired by his Enlightenment ideas. The aim is both to see important voices debate pressing issues of our time and to highlight the relevance of the academic fields covered by the Holberg Prize: the humanities, social sciences, law and theology. Thus, the Holberg Debate seeks to engage both the university community and the public at large, and we look to invite well known thinkers with a diverse background, including academics, journalists, authors, film makers and activists.
In this way, the Holberg Prize hopes to contribute to the broader discussion of social and political issues. We also wish to focus on issues of both national and international relevance, as well as to include panellists who may add important perspective to the daily news cycle and the most prominent narratives. Furthermore, we wish to invite the audience to contribute with questions, either from the floor, or via social media, for those watching the livestream in different parts of the world.
The Holberg Debate is always livestreamed, and audio/video will be made available on Youtube, Soundcloud and the Holberg Prize website.
The Holberg Debate Advisory Group
The Holberg Board has appointed an advisory group for the Holberg Debate. The group assists the secretariat in suggesting topics and speakers for the events. The following group advises the secretariat on Holberg Debate content for the period 2023 - 2025:
- Jan Grue, professor, Department of Sociology and Human Geography, University of Oslo.
- Niels Nagelhus Schia, senior research fellow, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI); Head of NUPI's Centre for Cyber Security Studies.
- Gisle Selnes, professor, Department of Linguistic, Literary and Aesthetic Studies, University of Bergen.
- Mariel Cristina Støen, professor. Centre for Development and the Environment, University of Oslo.
The Holberg Debates
The 2023 Holberg Debate: "Does Consciousness Extend Beyond Brains?"
Contributors: Prof. Anil Seth; Prof. Tanya Luhrmann; Dr. Rupert Sheldrake. Moderator: David Malone.
The 2022 Holberg Debate: "Will Fear Keep Us Safe?"
Contributors: Prof. John J. Mearsheimer; Carl Bildt. Moderator: Cecilie Hellestveit.
The 2021 Holberg Debate: "Identity Politics and Culture Wars"
Contributors: Prof. Judith Butler, Prof. Cornel West, Glenn Greenwald. Moderator: Prof. Simon Critchley
The 2020 Holberg Debate: "Is Global Stability a Pipe Dream?"
Contributors: Prof. Yanis Varoufakis and Amb. John Bolton. Moderator: Scott Gates
The 2019 Holberg Debate:
Slavoj Žižek: "Why I Am Still A Communist"
Contributors: Slavoj Žižek and Tyler Cowen (interviewer and moderator).
The 2018 Holberg Debate:
"Politics and Affects: The Dynamics of Social Mobilization"
Contributors: Achille Mbembe, Kathleen Cleaver, George Galloway and Martine Dennis (moderator).
The 2017 Holberg Debate: "Propaganda, Facts and Fake News"
Contributors: Julian Assange, Jonathan Heawood and John Pilger
The 2016 Holberg Debate:
"Free Speech in an Age of Diversity and Conflict"
Contributors: Timothy Garton Ash, Jostein Gripsrud, Kari Steen-Johnsen and Anine Kierulf (moderator).