About this Research Topic
Family is the most important social institution and a central source of informal support, health,
wealth and wellbeing across societies. Here, family is defined as a context-sensitive biosocial
institution based on kin relations extending beyond the nuclear family. In addition to family
members who live in the same household, relatives who do not live together often are an important
part of one another’s social networks. For instance, parents and grandparents tend to provide high
amount of support to their descendants even though they do not live in same dwelling, and adult siblings who have moved away from their parental home can still actively participate in each other’s life.
This Frontiers in Sociology Research Topic will bring together different perspectives on family and
extended kin relations. Family relations have been extensively studied in several disciplines,
including sociology, social policy, anthropology, biology, psychology, history and economics.
However, there has often been a lack of dialogue between the disciplines. The aim of the present
article collection is to promote fruitful discussion and interaction between family scholars from
different fields of study. This kind of interaction is important because it can substantially increase
our knowledge on family life.
Submissions can consider either factors associated with kin relationship quality (e.g. kin contact,
emotional closeness, financial support, practical help and care) or the potential influence family
members have on each other’s health, wealth and wellbeing. Both intra- (i.e., siblings, cousins) and intergenerational (i.e., parent-child, grandparent-grandchild, aunt/uncle-niece/nephew) family ties
are of interest. Interdisciplinary studies that combine knowledge from various disciplines are
particularly encouraged.
Submissions may explore, but are not limited to, the following themes:
• Kin contact, emotional closeness, and support
• Kin conflict, quarrels, and disagreements
• Kin effects on health, wealth, and well-being
• Kin and social stratification
• Social relations in various family types (e.g., nuclear, extended, joint or blended family)
• Kin and non-kin relations
We welcome various article types, including original research articles, review articles, brief research
reports and book reviews.
wealth and wellbeing across societies. Here, family is defined as a context-sensitive biosocial
institution based on kin relations extending beyond the nuclear family. In addition to family
members who live in the same household, relatives who do not live together often are an important
part of one another’s social networks. For instance, parents and grandparents tend to provide high
amount of support to their descendants even though they do not live in same dwelling, and adult siblings who have moved away from their parental home can still actively participate in each other’s life.
This Frontiers in Sociology Research Topic will bring together different perspectives on family and
extended kin relations. Family relations have been extensively studied in several disciplines,
including sociology, social policy, anthropology, biology, psychology, history and economics.
However, there has often been a lack of dialogue between the disciplines. The aim of the present
article collection is to promote fruitful discussion and interaction between family scholars from
different fields of study. This kind of interaction is important because it can substantially increase
our knowledge on family life.
Submissions can consider either factors associated with kin relationship quality (e.g. kin contact,
emotional closeness, financial support, practical help and care) or the potential influence family
members have on each other’s health, wealth and wellbeing. Both intra- (i.e., siblings, cousins) and intergenerational (i.e., parent-child, grandparent-grandchild, aunt/uncle-niece/nephew) family ties
are of interest. Interdisciplinary studies that combine knowledge from various disciplines are
particularly encouraged.
Submissions may explore, but are not limited to, the following themes:
• Kin contact, emotional closeness, and support
• Kin conflict, quarrels, and disagreements
• Kin effects on health, wealth, and well-being
• Kin and social stratification
• Social relations in various family types (e.g., nuclear, extended, joint or blended family)
• Kin and non-kin relations
We welcome various article types, including original research articles, review articles, brief research
reports and book reviews.
Keywords: family relations, health, social stratification, wealth, wellbeing
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
