Summary
The Suntory Prize for Social Sciences and Humanities is awarded each year to individuals who have made original, distinguished contributions in research or criticism through publications that adopt a broad perspective on society and culture.
The Prize is awarded in four categories: Political Science and Economics, Literary and Art Criticism, Life and Society, and History and Civilization. Selection committees in each category recommend and select the winning individuals and works. Winners receive a plaque and three million yen.
Works selected for consideration will have been published in Japanese during the preceding calendar year. In particular, the selection committees seek individuals who are rising critics or researchers of considerable originality and future potential, and works that distinctively represent the author's views or emphasis. The candidate's other published works to date may also be taken into consideration in the selection process.
Since there are few prizes to honor achievements in criticism and research on a broad basis, an important role of the Suntory Prize for Social Sciences and Humanities is to showcase free-ranging criticism and research unconstrained by conventional categories.
A total of 395 people have been awarded the Prize from 1979, when it was established, through the 47th Prize in 2025. These individuals have won acclaim for innovative approaches to their subjects, for research at the boundaries of conventional scholarship, and for opening up new frontiers.
The 47th (2025) Prize Winners
- Political Science and Economics
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Name Kondo Ayako Affiliation The University of Tokyo Title in English "The Job Market 'Ice-age' Generation" Original Title 『就職氷河期世代 ─ データで読み解く所得・家族形成・格差』 Name Tsuruoka Michito Affiliation Keio University Title in English "NATO's Journey after the Cold War: Collective Defence, Expeditionary Missions and Global Engagement" and "An Introduction to War and Peace" Original Title 『模索するNATO─ 米欧同盟の実像』および『はじめての戦争と平和』
- Literary and Art Criticism
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Name Arai Yuki Affiliation Nishogakusha University Title in English "Finding the meaning of my life: The writer with Hansen's disease, Tamio HOJO" Original Title 『無意味なんかじゃない自分 ─ ハンセン病作家・北條民雄を読む』 Name Hosokawa Ruri Affiliation The University of Tokyo Title in English "On Florensky" Original Title 『フロレンスキイ論』
- Life and Society
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Name Suzuki Kota Affiliation National Museum of Ethnology Title in English "Social History of Hibakojin Kagura: The Changing Way of Life of Kagura Dayu Performers" Original Title 『比婆荒神神楽の社会史 ─ 歴史のなかの神楽太夫』 Name Matsunaga Tomoko Sirato Affiliation Tokyo Keizai University Title in English "Yonehara Itaru's Revolution: Insincere Plitics or Faithful Media?" Original Title 『米原昶の革命 ─ 不実な政治か貞淑なメディアか』
- History and Civilization
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Name Tsurumi Taro Affiliation The University of Tokyo Title in English "A History of the Jewish People: From Ancient Vicissitudes, Diaspora, the Holocaust" Original Title 『ユダヤ人の歴史 ─ 古代の興亡から離散、ホロコースト、シオニズムまで』を中心として Name Morota Fumiko Affiliation Kyoto University Title in English "Gambling people: The meaning world of cockfighting and numbers in the Philippines" Original Title 『日々賭けをする人々 ─ フィリピン闘鶏と数字くじの意味世界』
