The Swedish Academy on Friday decided not to announce the Nobel Prize in Literature this year following a controversy over sexual assault allegations. There were also accusations that some names of winners had been leaked.
The crisis has been over handling of allegations of sexual misconduct against a member’s husband. Out of 18 members of the institution, six have resigned recently.
In a Press release, the Nobel Foundation said it supported the Swedish Academy’s decision to “postpone” the 2018 Nobel Prize in Literature. It reads “The Swedish Academy has decided to postpone the 2018 Nobel Prize in Literature, with the intention of awarding it in 2019.”
The seriousness of the matter is evident from the press release too, which says “In principle, the Nobel Prize shall be awarded every year, but decisions on Nobel Prizes have been postponed on a number of occasions during the history of the prizes. One of the circumstances that may justify an exception is when a situation in a prize-awarding institution arises that is so serious that a prize decision will not be perceived as credible.”
It was added that “Their decision underscores the seriousness of the situation and will help safeguard the long-term reputation of the Nobel Prize.”
The other Nobel prizes will be awarded as usual however.
The crisis started in November 2017, with French photographer Jean-Claude Arnault, who ran a cultural project with funds from the Swedish Academy, was accused of sexual harassment by 18 women. He is husband of one of the members of the Academy. He has denied the charges.
The social media is abuzz with how the #Metoo movement appears to have influenced the decision to a great extent.