Scapegoating

The concept of scapegoating has its roots in the biblical ritual described in Leviticus, where a goat was symbolically laden with the sins of the community and driven into the wilderness. René Girard developed this idea in his mimetic theory, arguing that the scapegoat mechanism is fundamental to social cohesion: communities channel their internal violence toward a designated victim, temporarily restoring peace. According to Girard, this mechanism operates unconsciously and is found at the foundation of myths, rituals, and cultural institutions.

In the context of systemic family therapy, the scapegoat is the 'identified patient' — the family member who carries the symptom that actually reflects a dysfunction of the entire family system. A problem child, for example, may be acting out unresolved tension between the parents. In the workplace, scapegoating manifests as mobbing: a worker is singled out as responsible for collective failures and subjected to systematic harassment. In politics, the scapegoat mechanism directs social frustration toward ethnic, religious, or cultural minorities.

The scapegoat mechanism is closely linked to projection as a psychological defense: the unacceptable qualities of the dominant group or individual are projected onto the designated victim, who comes to embody everything the group rejects in itself. Understanding this mechanism is key for both therapeutic intervention and social analysis, as it allows us to denaturalize blame narratives and recognize the underlying systemic patterns.