What is ‘Good’ or ‘Loving’ Mimesis? Understanding Different Models of Mimetic Desire for Creative Outcomes

A talk by Rebecca Adams

Although Rene Girard is known primarily as a theorist of violence, his Mimetic Theory contains resources for imagining beneficial forms of mimesis. We will discuss Girard’s concept of Mimetic Desire–it’s history, controversies, and the implications around what Girard calls “positive” Mimesis. Then we will look at some further constructive models of Mimetic Desire that Girard does not explicitly discuss but which actually strengthen the claims of his theory, concluding our time by discussing real life examples in small groups.