Citation
Article 2 of the Constitution of the Praemium Erasmianum Foundation reads as follows:
“Within the context of the cultural traditions of Europe in general, and the ideas of Erasmus in particular, the aim of the Foundation is to enhance the position of the humanities, the social sciences and the arts. The emphasis lies on tolerance, cultural diversity and non-dogmatic, critical thinking. The Foundation tries to achieve this aim by awarding prizes and by other means. A cash prize is awarded under the name of ‘Erasmus Prize’.”
In accordance with this article, the Board of the Foundation has decided to award the Erasmus Prize 2025 to the American philosopher Donna Haraway.
The prize is awarded on the following grounds:
The theme of this year’s prize is “the pursuit of what binds us.” Many scholars and scientists are driven by the conscious or unconscious desire to uncover what separates humans from other living beings. Donna Haraway is in pursuit of precisely the opposite. She was one of the first scholars – and certainly one of the most adamant – to draw our attention to the false nature of oppositions such as nature versus culture, or human versus animal. If today we no longer take such oppositions for granted, it is to a large extent thanks to the work of Donna Haraway. From her earliest publications onwards, Haraway has indeed been a pioneer.
Few scholars possess such a wide intellectual reach as Donna Haraway. The jury praises her exploration of an extraordinarily broad range of themes, ranging from the shapes of embryos to living with a dog. In her writing, she carefully weaves stories from diverse mediums, such as: dreams, scientific advances, history, science fiction, advertising, and her own personal experiences.
In doing so, Haraway demonstrates a profound capacity to speak to audiences far beyond the confines of her own discipline. By introducing new concepts and metaphors, she offers an innovative, creative, and critical perspective on contemporary crises. Her work has inspired several generations of philosophers, scientists, and artists engaged in the struggle against sexism, racism, and speciesism. As a result, Haraway is regarded as one of the most influential voices in philosophy and in the contemporary art world.
Donna Haraway is a deeply generous and altruistic thinker. What makes her altruism so remarkable is that she does not reserve it for the human animal alone, but explicitly extends it to all other beings, living and non-living alike. Thus, the jury concludes that Haraway moves ‘in the spirit of Erasmus, beyond Erasmus.’
