Mimesis, violence, and the sacred : an overview of the thought of René Girard

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    Abstract

    This chapter provides an overview of the thought of the French-American literary and cultural theorist René Girard, beginning with his theorization of "mimetic desire”, the explanatory hypothesis Girard employs to theorize interpersonal relations. Girard postulates that desire is pre-eminently imitative. Thence we turn to the "scapegoat" or "victimage" mechanism-Girard's model for how cultural and religious formation takes place through the banishment or lynching of a victim. This event-or series of events-functions to initiate and sustain cultural stability. Finally, we consider the relationship between Judea-Christian scripture and the scapegoat mechanism, considering Girard’s depiction of the Bible as representing a trenchant critique of "sacred violence”.
    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationViolence, Desire, and the Sacred. Volume 2, René Girard and Sacrifice in Life, Love, and Literature
    EditorsScott Cowdell, Chris Fleming, Joel Hodge
    Place of PublicationU.K.
    PublisherBloomsbury
    Pages1-13
    Number of pages13
    ISBN (Electronic)9781623562557
    ISBN (Print)9781623561963
    Publication statusPublished - 2014

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