Who Is René Girard? Age in 2025
In 2025, René Girard would have celebrated his 102nd birthday but is remembered posthumously for his groundbreaking work that has shaped understanding of human behavior and societal structures.
| Occupation | Anthropologist |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | December 25, 1923 |
| Age | 91 Years |
| Birth Place | Avignon, France |
| Horoscope | Capricorn |
| Country | France |
| Date of death | 4 November, 2015 |
| Died Place | Stanford, California, U.S. |
Popularity
René Girard's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
Although specific measurements such as height and weight of René Girard were not broadly documented, he was typically characterized by a modest build. His physical presence was often overshadowed by his intellectual stature, as he focused on discussing complex cultural theories rather than personal physical attributes.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
René Girard's personal life included a deep commitment to his family, though he was relatively private regarding his relationships. He was married to his wife, Martha Girard, and they had a close-knit family. Since he passed away in 2015, there is no current information about a boyfriend, girlfriend, or spouse; however, his legacy continues to influence scholars and enthusiasts worldwide.
In 1990, a group of scholars founded the Colloquium on Violence and Religion (COV&R) with the goal to "explore, criticize, and develop the mimetic model of the relationship between violence and religion in the genesis and maintenance of culture." This organization organizes a yearly conference devoted to topics related to mimetic theory, scapegoati
ng, violence, and religion.
Girard was Honorary Chair of COV&R. Co-founder and first president of the COV&R was the Roman Catholic theologian Raymund Schwager.
Net Worth and Salary
Though estimating the exact net worth of a philosopher like René Girard can be challenging posthumously, scholars and researchers suggest that his work has generated considerable influence in academia, potentially leading to substantial earnings from published books, lectures, and workshops during his lifetime. His intellectual contributions have opened avenues for discussions in various circles, further solidifying his status as one of the influential figures in modern thought.
The idea that the desire to possess endless material wealth was harmful to society was not new.
From the New Testament verses about the love of money being the root of all kinds of evil, to Hegelian and Marxist critique that saw material wealth and capital as the mechanism of alienation of the human being both from their own humanity and their community, to Bertrand Russell's famous speech on accepting the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1950, d
esire has been understood as a destructive force in all of literature – with the theft of Helen by Paris a frequent topic of discussion by Girard.
Career, Business and Investments
René Girard's career was marked by numerous academic and literary achievements. He held teaching positions at prestigious institutions such as Johns Hopkins University and Stanford University. His key works include "Deceit, Desire, and the Novel," "Violence and the Sacred," and "Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World."
Though he wasn't known for traditional business ventures or investments, Girard's theories have sparked various interdisciplinary applications and discussions, leading to an enduring influence on philosophy, literature, and psychology, as well as inspiring further research and teaching.
Eventually, the scapegoat mechanism would be exposed within the Biblical texts which categorically reorient the position of the Divinity to be on the side of the victim as opposed to that of the persecuting community.
Girard argues that all other myths, such as Romulus and Remus, for example, are written and constructed from the point of view of the community whose legitimacy depends on the guilt of the victim in order to be brought together as a unified community.
Once the relative innocence of the victim is exposed, the scapegoat mechanism is no longer able to function as a vehicle for generating unity and peace.
The categorical moral innocence of Christ therefore serves to reveal the scapegoating mechanism in scripture, thus enabling the possibility that humanity might overcome it by learning to discern its continued presence in our interactions today.
Social Network
René Girard remains a significant figure in intellectual circles, with many academic institutions and cultural organizations dedicating study groups and seminars to his theories. His works continue to receive attention in various media, including podcasts, conferences, and academic journals.
In 1966, as the Chair of the Romance Languages Department at Johns Hopkins, Girard helped Richard A. Macksey, the Director of the newly founded Humanities Center, to organize a colloquium on French thought. The event was titled "The Languages of Criticism and the Sciences of Man" and was held from 18 to 21 October 1966.
Featuring prominent French academics such as Jacques Lacan, Roland Barthes, and Jacques Derrida, it is often credited with having launched the post-structuralist movement.
Education
Girard received his education in France, where he studied at the University of Aix-Marseille. He later pursued further studies in the United States, earning his PhD from the University of California, Berkeley. His robust educational background laid the groundwork for his prolific writing and innovative theories in anthropology and philosophy.
René Noël Théophile Girard (25 December 1923 – 4 November 2015) was a French-American historian, literary critic, and philosopher of social science whose work belongs to the tradition of philosophical anthropology. Girard was the author of nearly thirty books, with his writings spanning many academic domains.
Although the reception of his work is different in each of these areas, there is a growing body of secondary literature on his work and his influence on disciplines such as literary criticism, critical theory, anthropology, theology, mythology, sociology, economics, cultural studies, and philosophy.
