Search for books, people and lists
Read This Twice
HomePeopleBooksSonaLibrariesSign in
Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World book cover

Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World

René Girard

This cultural critique is a bold challenge to conventional views of literature, anthropology, religion, and psychoanalysis. The author explores the concept of "mimesis," the conflict that arises when human rivals compete to differentiate themselves from each other, yet succeed only in becoming more and more alike. The book covers an encyclopedic array of topics and delves into the repression of collective murder and its repetition in ritual sacrifice, which Girard believes formed the foundations of both religion and the restored social order. The author also explores the vexing problems of social history, including the paradox that violence has social efficacy, the function of the scapegoat, and the mechanism of anti-Semitism.
Publish Date
1987-06-01T00:00:00.000Z
1987-06-01T00:00:00.000Z
first published in 1978
Goodreads Rating
4.27
ISBN
9780804722155
Recommendations
1