Oviedo, Spain - French-Bulgarian semiologist, philosopher and historian Tzvetan Todorov, 69, was Wednesday awarded Spain's prestigious Prince of Asturias Prize in the category of social sciences, the jury said in Oviedo.

Todorov's "intellectual concerns, wisdom and erudition" allowed him to deal with "great themes of our time, such as the development of democracies, the understanding between cultures, rootlessness, recognition of the other and the impact of violence in collective memory," the jury said.

Todorov was born in Sofia and moved to Paris in 1963. His books have been translated into 25 languages.

Dubbed the Spanish Nobel, the Prince of Asturias Prize is worth 50,000 euros (77,000 dollars). It is awarded annually in eight categories. (dpa)