Skytte Prize History
In 1622, Johan Skytte donated land and property to Uppsala University in order to establish a professorship in Eloquentia et Politices [Latin: eloquence and politices]. Europe was at war and Sweden was one of the continent's super powers. Johan Skytte realized that Sweden would need a whole new class of of civil servants, trained in the art of political negotiation and eloquence, to consolidate her newly-found place on the political map of Europe.
1622: Johan Skytte donated land and property in order to establish a professor chair in Politics and eloquence at Uppsala University.
1979: The eleventh patron of the Skytte Foundation, Count Nils-Axel Mörner, demanded and campaigned for the restoration of an independent foundation that would guard Johan Skytte’s assets. This request was granted and the Skytte Foundation began its new chapter.
1994: The idea of a Prize in political science was born, a brainchild of the patron of the foundation, Nils-Axel Mörner and then Johan Skytte Professor, Leif Lewin.
2022: The 400 anniversary of the Skyttean donation i celebrated is celebrated with a number of lectures and a banquet at Uppsala Castle.
Skytte Prize Laureates
Prize Committee
The prize committee, comprising an international group of scholars, selects the laureates based on nominations received from the academic community.
Li Bennich-Björkman, chair
Johan Skytte Professor in Political Science and Eloquence, Uppsala University
Lise Rakner
Professor, University of Bergen
Jan Teorell
Professor of Political Science, Lund University
