Remembering the philosopher Miladin Životić, the Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory of the University of Belgrade awards leading theorists whose work produces significant contributions to social practice for their critical engagement.
The Scientific Council of the Institute, on the proposal of the Commission, decided to award Thomas Piketty, professor at the School of Advanced Studies in Social Sciences (EHESS) and the Paris School of Economics (PSE), for the year 2023.
Thomas Piketty defended his doctoral degree at the age of twenty-two with a dissertation entitled “Essays on the Theory of Wealth Redistribution” which was awarded the best dissertation award by the French Association for Economic Sciences (Association française de sciences économiques) in 1993. He is actively engaged in further scientific work in the field of economics and his work resulted in the establishment of the Paris School of Economics in 2006 which includes the Sorbonne Center for Economy (Center d’économie de la Sorbonne) (Université Paris 1), the former DELTA, CERAS and the Center for Economic Research and Its Applications (Center pour la recherche économique et ses applications) (CEPREMAP).
Thomas Piketty has a rich scientific career. Through his research, Piketty further shed light on the deepening of social inequalities during the 1990s, especially in the US, as a consequence of the growth of extremely high incomes in the context of financial industrialization. He works as a lecturer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; moreover, he is a research associate at the National Center for Scientific Research (Center national de la recherche scientifique) (CNRS). Piketty is the author of numerous books, including, among others, “Long Live the American Left: Chronicles from 1998 to 2004,” “High Incomes in 20th Century France: Inequality and Redistribution, 1901-1998,” “Capital in the 21st century,” “Capital and Ideology,” “Long Live Socialism” and “A Brief History of Inequality.” He regularly writes columns, chronicles and views in esteemed newspapers such as Libération and Le Monde. Piketty is characterized by exceptional intellectual abilities and an unwavering commitment to engaged social science that does not refrain from confrontations, but rather affirms and protects the values of the international academic community. The intellectual and personal trajectory of Thomas Piketty is marked by indisputable scientific contributions, unwavering principles based on values and a determined commitment to the promotion of a qualitatively different society. He is an influential voice from the scientific field who continues to inspire and initiate debates in public discussions that transcend national and disciplinary boundaries as well as that shape the course of our societies.
Thomas Piketty is a member of the International Scientific Board of the Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory.
