A new selection of foundational works from the influential philosopher who developed the theory of mimetic desire
Why do humans have such a remarkable capacity for conflict? From ancient foundational myths to the modern era, the visionary thinker Rene Girard identified the constant, competing desires at the heart of our existence - desires that we copy from others, igniting a contagious violence. This remarkable and accessible new selection of Girard's work shows him as a writer for our times, as he ranges over human imitation and rivalry, herd behaviour, scapegoating and how our violent longings play out in stories, from Shakespeare to religion.
'The explosion of social media, the resurgence of populism, and the increasing virulence of reciprocal violence all suggest that the contemporary world is becoming more and more recognizably "Girardian" in its behaviour' The New York Review of Books
Edited with an Introduction by Cynthia L. Haven
Review
Praise for - René Girard
The explosion of social media, the resurgence of populism, and the increasing virulence of reciprocal violence all suggest that the contemporary world is becoming more and more recognizably "Girardian" in its behavior -- Robert Pogue Harrison - The New York Review of Books
The man who helped us perhaps more than any other social thinker of our time to understand violence, death and martyrdom -- Jerry Bowyer - Forbes
Praise for - Evolution of Desire: A Life of René Girard by Cynthia L. Haven
Influential and comprehensive. Haven's Evolution of Desire is exemplary in its sensitivity ... Her readers are challenged but left free to make up their own minds -- Jonathan Benthall - TLS
A penetrating account of an important thinker - and as agile, profound, and affecting as its subject - Kirkus
Essential reading for Girard devotees and a perfect entrée for newcomers. Rich with details and ideas, Cynthia Haven's book gives everything it promises and something more: a personal account of a close friend. Highly recommended -- Maria Stepanova
Here is a book that gives us Girard in all his genius and generosity. I can't recommend it enough -- Morgan Meis - The New Yorker
René Girard's provocative theories on violence, religion, desire, and scapegoating are intensely relevant to contemporary American society. Cynthia Haven offers an account of Girard's life and ideas that is as compelling as a good detective story. It should receive the widest possible readership -- David Streitfeld - Pulitzer Prize-winning writer for The New York Times
About the Author
René Girard (1923-2015) was a French-born American historian, literary critic, and philosopher of social science whose work belongs to the tradition of anthropological philosophy. He was a member of the elite Académie Française for his ground-breaking work in human nature after having spent nearly fifty years elaborating his theory of mimetic desire.
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