Jürgen Habermas Changes Course, Declines the Sheikh Zayed Award May 3, 2021 In a reversal, the German sociologist informs the Abu Dhabi-based prize program that he will not accept its career-achievement award. Jürgen Habermas, in a photo from June 2011 at a lecture engagement in the Audimax of the Humboldt University in Berlin. Image: Nikolas Becker, CC BY SA 3.0 Zayed Award: ‘Regret’ and ‘Respect’ In a surprise reversal, the prominent German sociologist Jürgen Habermas has declined to accept the United Arab Emirates’ Sheikh Zayed Book Award‘s leading honor, its career-achievement Cultural Personality of the Year. Organizers of the Zayed Prize in Abu Dhabi have issued a short statement today (May 3), expressing “regret for Mr Jürgen Habermas’ decision to retract his acceptance of the award but respects it.