On March 15, the Swiss National Museum in Zurich will open an exhibition titled “Scapegoat”. The exhibition examines collective violence against individuals, from antiquity to the present day. Topics cover the range from human sacrifice and lynchings of Jews and witches to the scapegoating mechanism, with its civilised violence extending into the modern era. The show builds its argument on René Girard’s theory of mimetic desire and, also in accordance to Girard, presents those powers who have opposed the violence, as the Jewish and Christian religion as well as the Enlightenment.

A Press Conference will take place on Thursday March 14 at the Swiss National Museum at 10am.