Familjet

Familjet is a term used in some academic and popular discussions to refer to the family as a social unit and network rather than solely as a biological or legal entity. The term is not tied to a single canonical definition and its precise meaning can vary by author and context.

In sociocultural analysis, familjet emphasizes how care, obligation, and mutual support flow within relationships among relatives, partners, close friends, and others who function as family members. It encompasses nuclear families, extended kinship networks, and chosen families formed through friendship or community ties.

In policy and planning contexts, the concept is used to analyze caregiving arrangements, housing needs, education, and social services, recognizing that family networks underpin welfare and resilience. In qualitative research, familjet often highlights intergenerational ties, obligations of care, and the ways migration, employment, and urbanization reshape who counts as family.

Some critics warn that the term can obscure diversity by implying a stable, cohesive unit, while supporters argue that it helps illuminate the practical responsibilities and resources that families provide. Because familjet is not a formal term with a universal definition, its use is mainly found in specific scholarly discussions, regional discourses, or in fictional or journalistic texts that discuss family life.

See also: Family, Kinship, Chosen family, Social network, Care work.