The New Society of Letters at Lund (Vetenskapssocieteten i Lund in Swedish) is a scientific academy founded in 1920.[1] [2] The society's aim is to gather younger scientists - Docents - in the humanities, theology and social sciences at Lund University in order "to promote scientific research in the humanities".[3] The founders were the Sanskrit researcher, the folklore scholar Carl Wilhelm von Sydow, and the linguist, with the assistance of the historian Lauritz Weibull.[4] The name was inspired by name of the Royal Society of Sciences in Uppsala
The members are divided into different categories: honorary members (maximum seven), domestic working members (maximum 100), foreign working members (maximum 35) and founding members (maximum 50). At the age of 55, the working member transfers to the seniors group.
A person who has shown a special commitment to the humanities and culture, or a person whom the Society finds capable of contributing to the Society's activities and development, may be appointed as a founding member. Founding members have the same rights as domestic working members.[5] The various categories have been slightly expanded since the society was founded.[6]