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Affectivity and the Social Bond Rethinking Classical Sociology Series Editor: David Chalcraft, University of Derby, UK This series is designed to capture, reflect and promote the major changes that are occurring in the burgeoning field of classical sociology. The series publishes monographs, texts and reference volumes that critically engage with the established figures in classical sociology as well as encouraging examination of thinkers and texts from within the ever-widening canon of classical sociology. Engagement derives from theoretical and substantive advances within sociology and involves critical dialogue between contemporary and classical positions. The series reflects new interests and concerns including feminist perspectives, linguistic and cultural turns, the history of the discipline, the biographical and cultural milieux of texts, authors and interpreters, and the interfaces between the sociological imagination and other discourses including science, anthropology, history, theology and literature. The series offers fresh readings and insights that will ensure the continued relevance of the classical sociological imagination in contemporary work and maintain the highest standards of scholarship and enquiry in this developing area of research. Also in the series: Max Weber’s Comparative-Historical Sociology Today Major Themes, Mode of Causal Analysis, and Applications Stephen Kalberg ISBN 978-1-4094-3223-4 The Social Thought of Talcott Parsons Methodology and American Ethos Uta Gerhardt ISBN 978-1-4094-2767-4 Transatlantic Voyages and Sociology The Migration and Development of Ideas Edited by Cherry Schrecker ISBN 978-0-7546-7617-1 For more information on this series, please visit www.ashgate.com Affectivity and the Social Bond Transcendence, Economy and Violence in French Social Theory Tiina Arppe University of Helsinki, Finland © Tiina Arppe 2014 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher. Tiina Arppe has asserted her right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as the author of this work. Published by Ashgate Publishing Limited Ashgate Publishing Company 110 Cherry Street Wey Court East Suite 3-1 Union Road Farnham Burlington, VT 05401-3818 Surrey, GU9 7PT USA England www.ashgate.com British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library The Library of Congress has cataloged the printed edition as follows: Arppe, Tiina. Affectivity and the social bond : transcendence, economy and violence in French social theory / by Tiina Arppe. pages cm. -- (Rethinking classical sociology) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-4094-3182-4 (hardback) -- ISBN 978-1-4094-3183-1 (ebook) -- ISBN 978-1-4724-0313-1 (epub) 1. Social sciences--France--History--19th century. 2. Social sciences--France--History--20th century. I. Title. H53.F7A77 2014 300.1--dc23 2013027936 ISBN 978-1-4094-3182-4 (hbk) ISBN 978-1-4094-3183-1 (ebk – PDF) ISBN 978-1-4724-0313-1 (ebk –ePUB) III Contents Acknowledgements vii Introduction 1 Auguste Comte: Passion Sublimated into Love 11 2 Émile Durkheim: Passion Transformed into Force and Symbol 55 3 Georges Bataille and the Accursed Part of Affectivity 105 4 René Girard and the Mimetic Desire 159 Conclusions 211 Bibliography Index 1 229 245 This page has been left blank intentionally Acknowledgements My interest in French