Scapegoats For A Profession

This book is about how scapegoating occurs in modern democracies, and how it can damage the reputation of professionals. Ann Daniel, a first-hand witness, documents several widely publicized disciplinary cases brought against prominent professionals in law and medicine. These were the people who became scapegoats as their professional communities tried to rid itself of troubles and confusions threatening their reputation at the time.

Often thought to be a primitive or ancient practice, scapegoating is revealed here as occurring in the justice systems of modern democracies. Ann Daniel, as a first-hand witness, documents several widely publicized disciplinary cases brought against prominent professionals in law and medicine. These were the people who became scapegoats as their professional communities tried to rid itself of troubles and confusions threatening their reputation at the time. Scapegoats for a Profession is an insightful and ground breaking analysis of the scapegoat as a sociological process, which emerged from a three-year Australian Research Council grant into disciplinary practices in the professions. While appealing to those fascinated by famous trials and the workings of discipline and punishment, this book is essential reading for professionals, students and academics in the social sciences, management, law, and medicine. Review: It brings together key important aspects of professions-scapegoating, disciplinary practices and trust. -Dr. Toni Makkai of Department of Sociology, University of Salford The argument, that inside the structures of modern rational-legal authority (the courts, the legislature) there exists a premodern form of social control in which groups pursue retribution (rather than restitution) is innovative, insightful and well rehearsed. It is an important challenge to the myth of 'modernity'. -Dr. Kevin White of Department of Sociology, Australian National University The issue addressed is universal, very current, indeed, so hot [as] to be glowing in the dark. -Professor Gary D. Bouma of Department of Anthropology and Sociology, Monash University