Bloomsbury Mimesis, Movies, and Media: Violence, Desire, and the Sacred, Volume 3

Building on the growing recognition and critical acclaim of volumes 1 and 2 of Violence, Desire, and the Sacred, this third volume in the seriesshowcases the most groundbreaking, interdisciplinary research in mimetic theory, with a focus on well-known films, television series, and other media. Mimesis, Movies, and Media reaches beyond the traditional boundaries of continental theory to demonstrate how scholars apply and develop René Girards insights in light of contemporary media. It brings together major Australian and international scholars working at the intersection of popular culture and philosophy. Review An engaging, illuminating exploration of how mimetic theory is reflected in popular media ... I would recommend Mimesis, Media, and Movies as an introduction to Girard’s thought, especially with undergraduate students who may find critical, academic analysis of popular media engaging and illuminating. ― Reviews in Religion and TheologyA theater professor once said that Girard's book on Shakespeare was head-and-shoulders more insightful than anything else she had ever read on the playwright. This collection of superb essays takes the powerful insights of Girard's mimetic theory and applies them to the contemporary analogs of Shakespeare: films, television shows, and popular literature. Girard himself says very little along these lines, which leaves the field open for scholars to creatively apply his framework―confirming it, advancing it, and modifying it as appropriate to the cultural artifacts under consideration. Given that Girard's scholarly efforts arose primarily out of his study of literature, this extension of his project is not only justified, it is in fact necessary to enable the scholarly world to grasp more clearly the scope and importance of his research program. This program is not an abstract, ivory tower, exercise, but an effort to understand the world we live in. ― Charles Bellinger, Charles Bellinger, Associate Professor of Theology and Ethics, Brite Divinity School / Texas Christian University, USAIn addition to their own contributions, the editors of this volume have assembled an opulent menu of essays on every aspect of contemporary media, from TV series to the Internet, from film to 'faits divers.' Our communication culture’s romance with violence and the pathologies that fuel it are widely and wisely and deeply explored. ― Andrew McKenna, Professor of French Language and Literature, Loyola University Chicago, USA About the Author Scott Cowdell is Research Professor in Public and Contextual Theology at Charles Sturt University, Australia, and Canon Theologian of the Canberra-Goulburn Anglican Diocese. He is the author of René Girard and Secular Modernity (2013) and President of the Australian Girard Seminar.Chris Fleming is Associate Professor in Philosophy and Anthropology at Western Sydney University, Australia. He is the author of René Girard: Violence and Mimesis (2004) and Vice-President of the Australian Girard Seminar.Joel Hodge is Senior Lecturer in Systematic Theology at Australian Catholic University, Australia. He is the author of Resisting Violence and Victimisation: Christian Faith and Solidarity in East Timor (2012) and co-editor of the series, Violence, Desire, and the Sacred.