Synopses & Reviews
Why is there so much violence in our midst?” René Girard asks. No question is more debated today. And none produces more disappointing answers.” In Girards mimetic theory it is the imitation of someone elses desire that gives rise to conflict whenever the desired object cannot be shared. This mimetic rivalry, Girard argues, is responsible for the frequency and escalating intensity of human conflict. For Girard, human conflict comes not from the loss of reciprocity between humans but from the transition, imperceptible at first but then ever more rapid, from good to bad reciprocity. In this landmark text, Girard continues his study of violence in light of geopolitical competition, focusing on the roots and outcomes of violence across societies latent in the process of globalization. The volume concludes in a wide-ranging interview with the Sicilian cultural theorist Maria Stella Barberi, where Girards twenty-first century emphases on the continuity of all religions, global conflict, and the necessity of apocalyptic thinking emerge.
Synopsis
In this landmark text, René Girard examines the nature of violence in light of globalization and his mimetic theory, the desirous imitation” that gives rise to the replication of violence. Mimetic rivalry, Girard argues, is responsible for the frequency and intensity of human conflict. Highlighting Girards characteristic accessibility, The One by Whom Scandal Comes explores the roots and outcomes of violence across societies.
About the Author
Ren� Girard is a member of the French Academy and Emeritus Professor at Stanford University. His books have been translated and acclaimed worldwide. He received the Modern Language Association's Award for Lifetime Scholarly Achievement in 2008.