UMD Sociologist Patricia Hill Collins Wins $1 Million Berggruen Prize

Renowned sociologist Patricia Hill Collins has been honoured with the prestigious Berggruen Prize for Philosophy. It is a substantial $1 million award recognizing her groundbreaking research on the intersections of race, gender, social class, and sexuality.

The Berggruen Prize, established in 2016 by philanthropist Nicolas Berggruen, seeks to celebrate individuals who advance powerful ideas that significantly shape our world. Collins, with her focus on how these intersections create unique experiences for individuals, especially Black women, and her exploration of shared human perspectives on the human condition, perfectly embodies the spirit of this esteemed award.

Collins, the first in her extended family to graduate from college, expressed a range of emotions upon learning about the award, emphasizing that her decades-long work on social justice, equity, and social inequality was not pursued for recognition but as a dedicated commitment.

Her groundbreaking book, "Black Feminist Thought," written while teaching at the University of Cincinnati laid the foundation for her influential career. Despite initial setbacks, including the firing of the team working on her book, Collins experienced a groundswell of support that kept the book alive. Themes developed in this seminal work have resonated far beyond the experiences of Black women.

Collins expanded her research scope in subsequent works, including "Black Sexual Politics: African Americans, Gender, and the New Racism," "Fighting Words: Black Women and the Struggle for Justice," and her latest book, "Lethal Intersections."

Joining the UMD Department of Sociology faculty in 2005, Collins made a significant impact on sociology and African-American studies. Colleagues and students express gratitude for her contributions to the field and highlight her well-deserved recognition.

In her future plans, Collins intends to dedicate part of the prize money to libraries and library initiatives, inspired by her own journey, where access to a good public library system played a pivotal role in her academic pursuits.

Additionally, she aims to give back to the American Sociological Association’s Minority Fellowship Program, a program that supported her during her graduate studies.

The Berggruen Prize awarded to Patricia Hill Collins is a testament to her positive impact on sociology and the broader social sciences, reflecting a career dedicated to advancing knowledge and fostering social change.