kliikka

Kliikka is a Finnish term used to describe a small, tightly knit group within a larger community that wields influence and tends to exclude outsiders. The word is borrowed from the English "clique" and is widely used in discussions of social networks, power dynamics, and informal governance in workplaces, schools, politics, media, and online spaces.

Typical features include defined membership that is by invitation or informal acceptance, and boundary maintenance against outsiders. Members share information, opportunities, and social capital, and they may coordinate norms or actions within the group. Gatekeeping can determine access to resources, status, or advancement within an organization or social scene.

Kliikit can provide mutual support and efficiency for members, but they can also foster exclusion, favoritism, groupthink, and bias in decision-making. Critics argue that cliques weaken meritocracy, reduce transparency, and shield members from accountability; defenders note that close networks can improve trust and coordination in complex environments.

In sociology and organizational studies, clique formation is described as a natural feature of social networks, though the term often carries a negative connotation in everyday speech. The concept is related to but distinct from broader notions of in-groups and social circles, and it is used to analyze how informal influence shapes opportunities and norms within groups.