René Girard, Mimesis, and Conflict (with Cynthia Haven)Quote
Cynthia Haven is an accomplished author, literary scholar, and cultural critic. She has written notable works like "Evolution of Desire: A Life of René Girard" and "Czesław Miłosz: A California Life." Her writing often explores literature and intellectual history. Haven has contributed to major publications and runs the blog "The Book Haven." She has received recognition from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Huntington Library for her scholarly work.
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René Girard (1923–2015) was a French historian, literary critic, and philosopher known for his theory of mimetic desire, which posits that human desires are imitated from others. He also developed the concept of the scapegoat mechanism, explaining how societies channel violence onto a single victim to maintain social cohesion. His work has influenced fields like anthropology, theology, and literary studies.