Lotte Jensen is receiving the prize because of her ‘sustained commitment over a long period of time to facilitate the return of the Dutch language in higher education’, the ANV reports, and ‘her opposition to the anglification of everyday society’. Not only has she actively participated in discussions in academic circles, but she has also managed to reach a wide audience with her many lectures, opinion pieces, articles and interviews.
‘I am pleasantly surprised and very honoured by this award. Good education in Dutch is of vital importance, also at universities,’ Jensen says. ‘You don't bring about change on your own, but with the support of others.’ One of the most successful interventions within the public debate was the widely-discussed book Against English. Een Pleidooi voor het Nederlands (A Defence of Dutch), which she published with Niek Pas, Daniel Rovers and Koen van Gulik.
The prize, established by the 'Algemeen Nederlands Verbond' and stemming from the estate of philosopher and lawyer Herman Lodewijk Alexander Visser, will be festively awarded on 2 November. Nelleke Noordervliet will deliver the laudation at the ceremony. Previous winners of the prize include Frits Spits and Frits van Oostrom. More information about the Visser-Neerlandia Prize.