This Incredible Need to Believe - (European Perspectives: A Social Thought and Cultural Criticism) by Julia Kristeva (Paperback)

This book by Julia Kristeva is a thought-provoking exploration of our incredible need to believe, examining the intersection between faith and human destiny.

Through dialogue and essay, Kristeva analyzes the lives and theories of influential thinkers such as Saint Teresa of Avila, Sigmund Freud, Donald Winnicott, Hannah Arendt, and others, shedding light on the complex relationship between belief and creative possibility. Kristeva argues that human beings are formed by their need to believe, from our first attempts at speech to adolescent search for identity and meaning.

She then applies her insight to contemporary religious clashes and the plight of immigrant populations, especially those of Islamic origin.

Even if we no longer have faith in God, Kristeva urges a "new kind of politics" that restores the integrity of the human community. With its focus on the intersection of belief and creative possibility, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in exploring the complexities of religious belief and its impact on society.