ritual

violence

nationality

French

occupation / innovator as

historian

philosopher

literary critic

philosopher of social science

innovator in the field of

history

literary criticism

philosophy of social science

anthropologist

religion

Catholicism

university teacher

scientific organization

Académie Française

American Academy of Arts and Sciences

seat 37 of the Académie française

post-structuralist

is the encounding of a specific act of violence.

Durkheim and Girard occupy opposite positions in a 'chicken/ egg' dialectic. For Durkheim, ritual is the original ground of violence that is subsequently encoded as 'sacrificial'... for Girard, a specific act of violence is the original ground of what is subsequently encoded as ritual.

is an unavoidable element of all communities that is controlled through ritual, a blood-letting to prevent all-out blood war. The only thing that can put an end to violence, and that is why violence is self-propagating.

violence is an unavoidable element of all communities that is controlled through ritual. Violent acts are a natural consequence of group living, and a sacrificial bloodletting is a controlled process that prevents an all-out blood war. Girard understands the circularity that is inherent in the process: 'Only violence can pt an end to violence, and that is why violence is self-propagating'

Rene Girard

Authors(0)

Rene GirardThinkers

Rene Girard