The Raven Foundation

Mimetic Theory 101

Mimetic Theory 101 is our video class introducing the basics of mimetic theory.  Let us know if you have any comments or questions!

Daniel's Movie Reviews

Hi,

My name is Daniel Cojocaru. I’m currently a PhD-student in English Literature at the University of Oxford. A couple of years back, when I was still reading for my master’s degree at the University of Zurich, I coincidentally stumbled over René Girard’s mimetic theory. Reading Girard, I’ve found that his theory offered convincing explanations for literary problems where other theories were failing. But what is more important, I understood that here we have a theory that beyond literature and social science powerfully addresses the human condition as such in the revealing light of the Gospels.

It was while I was on exchange at the University of Edinburgh, watching Fight Club at a film night, that I suddenly realized: “Hang on, this is in popular form the stuff that Girard writes about.” Ever since, I have been interested, beyond my immediate work in literature, in the representations of Girardian themes in popular films. Thanks to the Raven Foundation, which has generously offered me this platform, I can now further explore these representations. For if Girard is right and scapegoating is a universal phenomenon, then the popular imagination of mainstream films offers a great opportunity to reveal his insights in a form that many of us are familiar with.

I hope you enjoy reading these short discussions of particular scenes that exemplarize key moments of Girardian theory. Please do comment on my reading or e-mail me your thoughts, as I think that the below scenes are rich sources for further discussion.

Yours,

Daniel Cojocaru

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