Perheyhteisöjä

Perheyhteisöjä refers to social units organized around kinship ties and shared households. The concept describes groups in which related individuals live together and coordinate daily life, labor, and resources. While it is applicable in many cultural contexts, in Finnish sociological usage it often denotes extended family communities that form the basic social and economic unit in rural settings.

A perheyhteisöjä typically comprises more than a nuclear family and can include parents, children, grandparents, and other close relatives living under one roof or on a single estate. The household often shares property and means of production, such as land, livestock, or crafts, and engages in coordinated labor. Decision-making tends to be collective, with norms and obligations guiding the distribution of tasks, care, and income. Child-rearing and elder care are frequently shared responsibilities, reinforcing social bonds and mutual aid.

Functions of perheyhteisöjä include economic cooperation, socialization of younger generations, and risk sharing in times of illness, misfortune, or crop failure. They also serve as a mechanism for transmitting property, skills, and cultural practices across generations. Variants exist across cultures, including lineage-based and residence-based forms, and they have historically been central in agrarian societies.

In modern contexts, perheyhteisöjä may persist in rural areas or reappear in new forms such as multigenerational households or cohousing arrangements. In research, the concept helps illuminate kinship networks, social capital, and resilience within communities.