"René Girard. Un centenaire et l'avenir d'une théorie". A celebration of René Girard’s 100th birthday : The future of Mimetic theory (Paris)
The theme chosen for the COV&R 2023 conference is: "René Girard. A centenary and the future of a theory", which will allow us to revisit the work and life of the author of Violence and the Sacred by placing them in the climate of urgency that was his when he left Europe in 1947, and which is still ours, at a time when war is knocking at our doors.
COV&R (Colloquium on Violence and Religion - https://violenceandreligion.com) is an international association founded in 1990. It brings together researchers from all over the world, who work on the development and critique of the mimetic theory stemming from the work of René Girard.
Each year, COV&R organizes a colloquium, alternately in Europe and in the United States, in major universities. Researchers from many disciplines are invited to give lectures and participate in round tables. They all work to test mimetic theory in various fields: literary theory, anthropology, sociology, psychology, moral and political philosophy, economics, biblical hermeneutics, film studies... These meetings gather between 150 and 200 people.
Some meetings :
2019 - Universität Innsbruck - Innsbruck, Austria ["Imagining the Other: Theo-Political Challenges in an Age of Migration"]
2017 - Universidad Francisco de Vitoria - Madrid, Spain - ["Identity and Rivalry"]
2015 - St. Louis University - St. Louis, Missouri USA - ["The One by Whom Scandal Has Come: Critically Engaging the Girardian Corpus"]
2011 - Centro Europeo di Studi su Mito e Simbolo and Università di Messina - Saline, Italy ["Disorder/Order in History and Politics"]
2009 - St Mary's University College, Strawberry Hill and Heythrop College, University of London - London, England - ["Fearful Symmetries: Religion, Co-Existence and the Secular"]
1995 - Loyola University - Chicago, Illinois, USA - ["Violence, Mimesis, and Responsibility"]
1991 - Stanford University - Stanford, California, USA - ["Mythology"]
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COV&R 2023 - PARIS at the Institut Catholique de Paris. 14 -17 june 2023
The partners of the COV&R 2023 conference are the Institut Catholique de Paris and the Association Recherches mimétiques.
Call for Papers
The theme of the conference is the future of mimetic theory as a way of celebrating Girard’s life and work: looking at what he brought into the world and how others today are being guided and inspired by his work and carrying it forward. It wants to be a way of looking both forward and backward, at how the future of the theory is rooted in its past, René Girard’s seminal work, and taking a measure of the new dangers the world faces.
Therefore, we invite papers that can elucidate the contribution of René Girard to academia, especially those that show how Mimetic Theory will be important in the future. As the aim of the Colloquium is to explore, criticize, and develop the mimetic model of the relationship between violence and religion in the genesis and maintenance of culture and as the Colloquium is concerned with questions of both research and application, we welcome papers related to all aspects of mimetic theory.
Proposals should contain your name, affiliation, the title of the paper, and an abstract of the planned paper of about 200 words, and they should be emailed before April 15 (covr.2023@gmail.com). Please also state the technology needs you would have.
If you are a graduate student and your proposal has been accepted, there is the possibility of applying for the Raymund Schwager, SJ Memorial Essay Contest.
Raymund Schwager, S.J., Memorial Essay Contest
To honor the memory of Raymund Schwager, SJ (+ 2004), the Colloquium on Violence and Religion is offering an award of $ 1,500 shared by up to three persons for the three best papers given by graduate students at the COV&R meeting. Students presenting papers at the conference are invited to apply for the Raymund Schwager Memorial Award by sending an e-mail to that effect and the full text of their paper (in English, maximum length: 10 pages) in an attachment to Covr.2023@gmail.com. In addition to the prize money, the winners’ registration fee will be waived. Due date for submission is May 1, 2023. Winners will be announced in the conference program. Prize-winning essays should reflect an engagement with mimetic theory; they will be presented in a plenary session and be considered for publication in Contagion. The winner(s) are selected by a three-person panel consisting of one of the conference organizers, the editor of Contagion, and the President of the Colloquium.
Furthermore, if your paper has been accepted and you fulfill the following criteria, you may apply for a COV&R Travel Grant
COV&R offers travel grants under the following conditions:
- Possible recipients are graduate students or practitioners of mimetic theory (e.g., NGO/non-profit staff; journalists, government employees). Preference is given to graduate students but practitioners of mimetic theory are also encouraged to apply.
- Possible recipients have an accepted proposal and offer a presentation at the conference.
- Attendees are eligible one time only for a travel grant. Priority will be given to applicants who have not received a grant previously.
- Travel grants are for travel expenses only (the mode of transportation). A recipient can receive a maximum of up to $ 1,000 U.S.; if actual travel costs are less, they will be given the exact amount and the remainder will be kept for further applicants.
- Grants are given on a first come, first served basis, as long as the available amount lasts.
To apply for a travel grant, write to the Executive Secretary of the Colloquium and explain your need and eligibility for the grant (include the confirmation of the acceptance of your paper). He will be in touch with the conference organizers, the treasurer, and with you, so that grants will be awarded according to the Colloquium’s specifications.
Grants will be awarded at the conference.
The registration fee will be waived for travel grant recipients.
Please take note: The Raymund Schwager Memorial Award and the Travel Grants are not linked with each other. It is possible to receive both, it is also possible to receive only one of them. The application process is different, as as stated above.
Conference Venue
The 2023 COV&R conference will be held in Paris from June 14 to 17 at the Catholic Institute of Paris (Institut Catholique de Paris—ICP) where we will be graciously hosted by Camille Riquier, Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy at the Institute. Founded in 1875, the Catholic Institute of Paris is the inheritor of the medieval liberal arts colleges and lies in the tradition of the Sorbonne, the oldest academic institution in France. René Girard received an honorary doctorate from the Institute.
The l’Association Recherches Mimétiques (www.rene-girard.fr), under the able leadership of Benoît Chantre, is partnering with COV&R on details of the conference. The planning team includes Benoit Chantre, Paul Dumouchel, Nikolaus Wandinger, Wolfgang Palaver, and Mari Blaj.
For more information and registration visit the registration site.