Scapegoat - GCSE Sociology Definition

A scapegoat is a person or group that is unfairly blamed for problems or negative events, even if they are not truly responsible. In sociology, this happens when people or societies direct their anger or frustration onto someone else to avoid dealing with the real cause of their problems. For example, if a student is wrongly blamed for a class disruption to distract from broader issues, they become the scapegoat. This concept helps us understand how blaming others can be used to maintain social order or divert attention from more complex issues in groups or communities.