AMSTERDAM, April 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Praemium Erasmianum Foundation has awarded the Erasmus Prize 2025 to the American philosopher and historian of science Donna Haraway. The theme of this year's prize is "the pursuit of what binds us." Haraway is an altruistic thinker who explores the many interconnections between biology, literature, art, and social and political engagement. Like Erasmus in The Praise of Folly, she challenges human thought patterns and behaviors that go against humanistic ideals like equality and openness. What sets Haraway apart is that she extends her thinking beyond humans to include all living beings.
Haraway (1944, Denver, Colorado) studied zoology and philosophy at Colorado College. She spent a year in Paris exploring the philosophy of evolution before obtaining her PhD in biology in 1972 at Yale University, later holding academic positions in women's studies and the philosophy of science at the University of Hawaii and Johns Hopkins University. From 1980 until her retirement, she was a Professor of History of Consciousness and of Feminist Studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz.
She gained worldwide renown with her Cyborg Manifesto (1985), already distinguished as a feminist classic upon its release. Haraway uses the cyborg—a fusion of human and machine—to rethink oppositions such as male and female, human and machine, nature and culture. She continued breaking down these deeply rooted dualisms in Primate Visions (1990), where she subjects primatology to meticulous analysis. The way we imagine the natural world is deeply intertwined with issues of race and gender. For instance, the language used by primatologists reinforces culturally constructed gender differences. In more recent works like When Species Meet (2007) and Staying with the Trouble (2016), she explores how we can coexist with other organisms in a world facing ecological crisis. Again, she examines the boundaries between human and non-human life.
Haraway's influence extends far beyond the academic realm. By introducing new concepts and metaphors, Haraway offers an innovative, creative, and critical perspective on contemporary crises. Her work has inspired several generations of philosophers, scientists, and artists engaged in the fight against sexism, racism, and speciesism. As a result, Haraway is considered one of the most influential voices in philosophy and the contemporary art world.
Over the years, Haraway has received numerous honors and awards, including the J.D. Bernal Prize in 2000, the highest honor from the Society of Social Studies of Science. In 2020, she was awarded the Nuevo León Alfonso Reyes prize for her ability to weave together biology, economy, politics, culture, science fiction, feminism, and climate change.
The Erasmus Prize is awarded annually to an individual or institution that has made an exceptional contribution to the field of humanities or the arts. His Majesty the King serves as Patron of the Foundation. The prize consists of a €150,000 reward and is presented in the fall of 2025.
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