Michael J. Sandel 2018 Princess of Asturias Award for Social Sciences

At its meeting in Oviedo, the Jury for the 2018 Princess of Asturias Award for Social Sciences, made up of María Paz Battaner Arias, Adela Cortina Orts, Juan Pablo Fusi Aizpurúa, Mauro Guillén Rodríguez, Silvia Iranzo Gutiérrez, Óscar Loureda Lamas, Ricardo Martí Fluxá, Sami Naїr, Emilio Ontiveros Baeza, Jaime Pérez Renovales, Isaac Querub Caro, Myriam Seco Álvarez y Fernando Vallespín Oña, chaired by Carmen Iglesias Cano, Countess of Gisbert, and with Marta Elvira Rojo acting as secretary, has decided to grant the 2018 Princess of Asturias Award for Social Sciences to American philosopher Michael J. Sandel, one of today’s foremost intellectuals.

With this recognition, the Jury prizes an exemplary body of work on the foundations that regulate liberal democracy, as well as the defence of public virtues and the diverse ways of conceiving good in our societies. In addition to his public vision of justice, he stands out for his criticism of the excesses of the logic of the market and for promoting debate aimed at solving major moral dilemmas.

An exemplary figure in the public use of reason in the search for truth, Sandel has gained worldwide prestige for having managed to transmit his dialogic, deliberative approach to debate to a global audience. Above and beyond lecture halls and the printed word, his method of Socratic discussion has found widespread echo in many forums on the net. The Jury also wishes to underline the importance of citizen engagement with the values of democracy and the importance of joint reasoning to resolve our differences as a society.

Oviedo, 30th May 2018