Scapegoating

Why do families, organisations, and communities sometimes choose one person to carry the blame for problems they refuse to confront?

Scapegoating is an ancient social mechanism with deeply personal consequences. By assigning responsibility to a convenient target, groups can avoid examining uncomfortable truths about themselves.

Scapegoating explores how this pattern develops within families, relationships, workplaces, and wider society. From the child labelled difficult to the employee blamed for systemic failures, the book examines the psychological and social processes that transform individuals into designated sources of conflict.

It also investigates the emotional consequences of scapegoating, including shame, isolation, damaged identity, and estrangement, while exploring pathways toward recognition, boundaries, and healing.

A compassionate and illuminating examination of blame, belonging, power, and the courage required to step outside an assigned role.