James C. Scott is today one of the foremost figures in comparative social research. His academic foundation lies at the intersection of political science and anthropology. Throughout his academic career, he has been concerned with the "weapons of the weak": how indigenous peoples, tribes, minorities, and religious sects have sought to defend themselves against the influence of central governments.
Titles such as "The Art of not Being Governed", "Seeing Like a State" and "The Moral Economy of the Peasant" capture some of the themes. From Lenin to Nyerere's ujama villages, from racial hygiene to the brutalism of architects (e.g., Corbusier and Niemeyer's Brasilia) - the pattern is clear: Power tends to decay and deteriorate into absolute dominance and oppression. Scott's major work is a comprehensive study of how most attempts to reform without considering local, human experience are destined to fail and result in their opposite, not decentralization, innovation, and freedom.
Scott has long been associated with SUM at the University of Oslo and is a worthy recipient of an honorary doctorate from UiO.
UiO's honorary doctoral degrees
Honorary doctoral degrees of UiO (Doctor Honoris Causa) are given to prominent academics. The degrees are awarded without a thesis defence/disputation.
UiO has been entitled to appoint honorary doctorates since 1824, and appointments usually occur every three years.
The honorary doctors are conferred at UiO's Annual Celebration on 2 September.