Two Members Leave the Extended Nobel Committee

Hello Gentle Reader

As part of the Swedish Academy regaining legitimacy as a Nobel Awarding institution; after its previous scandalous ordeal, and its lost faith from the public; the Nobel Foundation facilitated certain caveats that the Swedish Academy was forced to give into, in order to restore its reputation and begin the process of reclaiming its legitimacy. One of those caveats, was allowing for a period of two years, for five external members to be brought into the Nobel Committee to assist the Swedish Academy prize selection, and assist in creating a more transparent process and image with the public and the media. These five external members are:

Rebecka Kärde

Mikaela Blomqvist

Henrik Petersen

Kristoffer Leandoer

Gun-Britt Sundstrom

When the Laureates for two-thousand and eighteen and two-thousand and nineteen, were announced in October, three of the above listed committee members:

Rebecka Kärde

Mikaela Blomqvist

Henrik Petersen

Stood alongside Swedish Academy members: Anders Olsson and Per Wästberg; to discuss this year’s laureates in Literature.

Now, however, Kristoffer Leandoer and Gun-Britt Sundstrom have formally announced that they have recused themselves from their two year term as external members of the Swedish Academy, much to the chagrin of many.

Kristoffer Leandoer has cited he has chosen to leave the blended framework of the Nobel Committee, due to the Swedish Academy’s slothful state of adapting to change, and he does not have the patience to encourage it. Further discrepancies between the perceptions of time were also contributing factors in his departure.

Gun-Britt Sundstrom has resigned due to the decision to award Peter Handke the Nobel Prize for Literature in two-thousand and nineteen. The decision to ward Handke the Nobel Prize for Literature has been one of consistent controversy since it was announced on October 10^th. Reactions have been divisive, critical, and uncompromising in their denouncement. The Swedish Academy in return, was forced to perform damage control, and sought to clarify their position that they do not condone Peter Handke’s political statements, views, perceptions, or defenses; but they chose to award him on purely literary terms. They further argued that despite his political discourse, his statements did not amount to facilitating violence, or condoning the atrocities of the Yugoslav Wars.

Gun-Britt Sundstrom disagreed with the notion of literature above politics. It is safe to presume that Gun-Britt Sundstrom believes the political statements made by Peter Handke are equally as relevant to his literary output as his literary work, and should be considered in weighing his merit in. For these reasons, Gun-Britt Sundstrom has chosen to recuse herself from the blended Nobel Committee.

The Swedish Academy in turn thanked them both for their support and service during their short tenure.

Thank-you For Reading Gentle Reader

Take Care

And As Always

Stay Well Read

M. Mary

For Further Reading

The Guardian: "Nobel prize for literature hit by fresh round of resignations,"

BBC: "Two Nobel literature prize committee members quit,"