Transcripts of Girard Lectures on Mimetic Theory

Overview

This archival item comprises seven PDF transcripts (Lectures I–VII) of a lecture series delivered by French historian and philosopher René Girard. The documents are in English and were produced by the Arke Institute as part of its “Girard Lecture Series.” Each transcript is a verbatim record of a single lecture, including footnotes and bibliographic references. The PDFs range in size from approximately 600 KB to 900 KB.

Background

René Girard (1923‑2015) developed the theory of mimetic desire, arguing that human desire is imitative and that this imitation drives rivalry, violence, and the scapegoat mechanism. His work also addresses the origins of original sin, theodicy, and the role of Christian revelation in mitigating violence. The lecture series was organized by the Arke Institute, an organization dedicated to the study of contemporary philosophical and theological thought. The series was recorded and transcribed for scholarly dissemination, and the transcripts are catalogued under the identifier “01K9V09692AWENDADFSMDP2M7M.”

Contents

• Lecture I – Introduction to mimetic theory and the concept of mimetic desire.
• Lecture II – Analysis of mimetic rivalry and its social consequences.
• Lecture III – Exploration of the scapegoat mechanism and its historical manifestations.
• Lecture IV – Discussion of original sin and its relation to mimetic violence.
• Lecture V – Examination of theodicy within the framework of mimetic theory.
• Lecture VI – The role of Christian revelation in resolving mimetic conflict.
• Lecture VII – Implications for modernity and contemporary ethical questions.

Each transcript contains detailed footnotes, cross‑references, and a bibliography of cited works.

Scope

The collection covers the period during which the lectures were delivered (exact dates not specified in the metadata). Geographically, the content focuses on Western philosophical and theological traditions, particularly French and Christian contexts. Thematically, it addresses mimetic desire, rivalry, the scapegoat mechanism, original sin, theodicy, Christian revelation, and modernity. The item excludes any audio or visual recordings of the lectures; it contains only the written transcripts.