The Swedish Academy that gives out the Nobel Prizes, including the Nobel Prize for Literature is in grave danger as the organisation collapses from within.
Yesterday two more members of the Swedish Academy resigned, including Sara Danius leading the entire Academy without leadership, soon after this announcement it was announced that Katarina Frostenson is also withdrawing as a member.
These two resignations mean that the Academy is left with just eleven active members from its total of eighteen, and because of the way the prize is set up this is a huge problem. Because while member can step away from active roles, they cannot resign, membership is for life and what’s more, twelve members are required to elect a new member by quorum, which means the crippled institution is now unable to self-generate new members.
The crisis began last year when accusations of sexual assault were directed as Frostenson’s husband, Jean-Claude Arnault, following revelations of financial misconduct and conflicts of interest. The furore has caused a massive rift in the academy putting the future of both the Swedish Academy and the Nobel Prize for Literature in question.
With further resignations, the Academy is now considered to be in total collapse, and no one knows what will happen to what has until now, been the most prestigious prize in literature. It’s now up to His Royal Majesty Carl XVI Gustaf and Academy member Sara Stridsberg to save the prize for future generations. Only HRM Carl XVI Gustaf can change the bylaws required to save the prize, but only time will tell what will happen.
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