Does the Nobel Prize for Literature Still Matter?

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Last year, the Swedish Academy decided not to hand out a prize, following a widely publicized sexual assault scandal which led to mass resignations and doubts about the academy's legitimacy.

Strange way for The Nobel committee to dig itself out of scandal by awarding this year's Literature Prize to, Peter Handke, an Austrian defender of strongman Slobodan Milošević who denies that the Srebrenica massacre happened (where 8,000 Muslims were murdered).

Furthermore, during his trial for genocide and war crimes, Milošević asked that Handke act as a defense witness and at his funeral, Handke delivered a eulogy.

While I admit that I have not read Handke's work, I'm still surprised that the Nobel committee — who seek to make political statements with their selections — have awarded a once highly esteemed prize to a defender of a war criminal as well as a genocide denier, who even went so fare as to suggest that Bosnian Muslims staged the atrocities in Srebrenica and Sarajevo.

Here’s what PEN America had to say about this unfortunate decision:

At a moment of rising nationalism, autocratic leadership, and widespread disinformation around the world, the literary community deserves better than [Handke]. We deeply regret the Nobel Prize of Literature’s choice.

Even the Austrian author himself said he was "astonished" at winning the prize, although he also added that the decision was "very courageous by the Swedish Academy".

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci wrote: The decision of Nobel Prize brought immense pain to countless victims.

Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for the Swedish Academy said that none of its members were available to comment on whether Handke’s political views had been discussed, and whether he was an appropriate recipient of the prize.

One would think that, a day after awarding the Nobel Prize, at least some of the members would be available to discuss such a controversial choice. But this non-response signals, at best, how out of touch with the times they are; and, at worst, arrogance and unapologetic bigotry.

Which begs the question: Does the Nobel Prize for Literature Matter Anymore -- when one year it is awarded to a non-writer, singer Bob Dylan, and another to a pro-fascist figure?