Facts: The Nobel Prize and Alfred Nobel
Alfred Bernhard Nobel (1833–1896) is Sweden’s most famous inventor and industrialist of all time. He produced dynamite and a long line of other important inventions in explosive technology.
In his will, he expressed a wish that his estate, the fortune he had made after inventing dynamite, be used to establish a prize to be awarded in five different categories: physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, peace, and literature . In addition to these, an economics prize is also awarded by the Riksbank, in memory of Alfred Nobel.
According to the will, the prizes are to be awarded to those in the five disciplines “who, during the past year, have done humanity the greatest good”.
The award ceremony takes place every year on Alfred Nobel’s death anniversary, December 10.
In the space of just a little more than a day, the Nobel Foundation did a complete turnaround.
The decision to invite the ambassadors of Russia, Iran and Belarus to this year’s award ceremony was withdrawn. The strong protests, but also the court’s announcement that “King Carl Gustaf has not decided whether he will participate or not”, caused the Nobel Foundation to back down.
“Must face the consequences”
The foundation explained the change by saying that the criticism of inviting the ambassadors had become too harsh.
— Indirectly, it can be interpreted as “we did nothing wrong”, but you protested so much that we had to change our mind, says Eva Ossiansson, brand researcher at the School of Economics, University of Gothenburg.
Eva Ossiansson points out that in a context like this it is about being straightforward and clear and realizing the consequences of one’s actions. In addition, she adds that Sweden, as a country and part of the EU, has taken a clear position in the Ukraine war and also participates in boycotts against Russia.
— In that context, it becomes a bit strange when the Nobel Foundation departs from this and invites representatives. Nor can it be said that they were always apolitical when they previously took a position on which political parties in the Riksdag should be invited. Why then can’t they take a stand on this issue, she asks herself.
Appears to be tone deaf
— The reactions are now becoming so strong because the Nobel Foundation appears to be tone-deaf and there is doubt as to how one actually stands on the issue. It’s all about you being clear in your decisions.
Nobel has fought hard in the past year to re-establish its good reputation after the affair with the so-called cultural profile that shook up the Swedish Academy.
Eva Ossiansson says that the reactions after Saturday’s announcement will most likely subside, but that they may contribute to a deteriorating image of Sweden – already already at the edge of the recent Koran burnings, demonstrations, shootings and explosions.
“The more events where we get negative publicity and our positions as a nation begin to be questioned, the more doubts are sown about what we really stand for as a nation,” she says.