Mimetic euphemism and mythology: Group therapy, scapegoating, and the displacement of disquiet

Mimetic theory draws support from diverse disciplines in the humanities and social sciences. But arguably Girard would have even more influence if his theory had stronger life data, and one field well positioned to provide such input is psychology. Girard distinguished his thinking from Freud, while critiquing the psychoanalytic tradition more generally, in Book III of Things Hidden since the Foundation of the World— a work taking the form of an extended dialogue with two psychiatrists. One of these, Jean-Michel Oughourlian, has begun to develop the Girard-inspired practice of “interdividual psychology.” In Girard’s own hands, albeit to a limited degree, mimetic theory has been applied to mental health issues. The purpose of this study is to interpret the data from 10 sessions of group therapy, which has proved suggestive for mimetic theory.