Intersubjectivity, Desire, and the Mimetic Brain

René Girard’s theory, developed between the 1960s and 1970s, is grounded on an intersubjective constitution of the human mind and behavior. In recent years, it has been attracting the attention of philosophers, neurobiologists, anthropologists, and cognitive psychologists at the international level. What is currently lacking is a full theoretical and practical engagement between Girard’s theory and psychoanalysis. Intersubjectivity, Desire and the Mimetic Brain aims to reappraise the relationship between Girard’s thought and the psychoanalytic tradition, discussing the potential theoretical integrations that mimetic theory would need to account for various psychic phenomena, including psychopathologies of different kinds. The two-day event will shed new light on this overlooked topic, by referring to and engaging with a broader theoretical apparatus including critical theory, anthropology, psychoanalysis, psychiatry, and psychotherapy.