Summer school Juillet 2010

Nous avons le plaisir de vous fairepart de la création par le Cercle René Girard des Pays Bas de lapremière European Summer School surla théorie mimétique (Mimetic Theory). Elleest  intitulée "Crisis and Truth" et
aura lieuaux Pays-Bas du 12 au 25 juillet 2010, en partenariat avec l'ARM. 

EUROPEAN SUMMER SCHOOL MIMETIC THEORY

12–25 July 2010 The Netherlands

Crisis and Truth

 An interdisciplinaryintroduction into the thinking of René Girard

The first Summer School Mimetic Theory will be held from 12 – 25 July inLeusden, The Netherlands. The course will give a systematic introduction to
Mimetic Theory
as developed by
René Girard
and his students,and aims at offering participants a new insight into the relationship betweenculture, violence and religion.

Crisis and imitation
The recognition of ‘imitation’ as a fundamentalmotivational force in human behaviour is the point of departure of mimetictheory. While enlightenment thinking and the human sciences have no problemaccepting the role of imitation in learning processes, they have disregardedthe importance of imitation in both the way we make our intimate individualchoices and in the genesis and persistence of violent conflict. Instead theyhave promoted a belief in the uniqueness of the individual. Our failure tounderstand crises, both in our individual lives and in the world at large,might be attributed to this misapprehension of the autonomous self. Girardshows that in great novels the futility of the search for a unique self isexposed as a ‘romantic’ illusion.

Crisis and itsresolution
Girard also opens our eyes to violence as the source of social order andconsensus. Existing or potential divisiveness is externalised as violenceagainst a third party – an enemy, scapegoat or other presence marked as evil.This so-called
scapegoat mechanism
is aself-regulating mimetic process that has to remain hidden from those involvedin order to function. Our blindness to this violence has archaic religiousroots, which, according to Girard, have been progressively exposed in theJudaeo-Christian tradition.
Mimesis andcultural knowledge
For Girard the concept of mimesis is the key to understanding other fields ofcultural knowledge ranging from myths, Greek and Shakespearean tragedy andbiblical scriptures to human evolution and the crisis of our post 9-11 world.His innovative contribution to the human sciences is increasingly beingrecognised
(see
Girard Network).
Mimetic theoryoffers a challenging new playing field for reconnecting the various academicdisciplines that study human relations and culture.


Teachers
Girard’s students and colleagues who are renownedscholars in their respective disciplines of literature, theology, anthropology,and philosophy will teach the course. Among them are
JamesAlison,
Jean-PierreDupuy, Michael Kirwan, PaulDumouchel, SimonSimonse
and
NikolausWandinger.


Teaching Programme
Leading scholars in literature, psychology, Biblestudies, anthropology, political science, etc. many of whom have closely workedwith René Girard will be teaching the course.
Following
Michael Kirwan’s (2005) observation thatGirard’s work reads as a ‘thriller’, the Summer School course offers students ajourney through Girard’s texts, his debates with other thinkers and hisreflections on violence and religion in the world of today.
The course will consistof lectures, discussions of cases and reading and writing assignments bothindividually and in groups. Writing assignments
may eventuallyserve as a building block of a larger project or a credit in the homeuniversity.
Core texts will include chapters fron Girard’s Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World and other
key texts. Participants will be expected to have read an introductory text beforearrival in Leusden.


Student Profile
The Summer School will be taught in English and aimsat:
     - top undergraduates who have just or almostfinalized their Bachelor study
     - graduates students
     - PhD students
The number of participants is 25 max.

Venue 
The International School of Philosophy (ISVW) in Leusden, 50 kilometres from Amsterdam will host the Summer School.This location offers an inspiring climate for learning and reflection.

Tuition fee andgrants 
The European Summer School is generously funded
by
Imitatio.
Therefore we are able to keep the tuition fee at €1500 to cover the costs for tuition, course materials and administration only.The costs for accommodation and meals are taken care of by Imitatio. Thetuition fee has to be paid in full before 1st June 2010 via bank transfer.Participants should arrange their own travel and insurance.

If you want to participate and finances are a problem, note thatgrants are available. Contact
Thérèse Onderdenwijngaard.
CALL FORAPPLICATIONS 
If you wish to apply, please, download the applicationform
here. The application deadline is 7 June 2010. For updated informationabout the programme keep track of Summer School News
page. 

If you have questions, feel free to contact:

ThérèseOnderdenwijngaard
                       

                       Organizer European Summer School Mimetic Theory
                       Secretary Dutch Girard Society