familism

[ fam-uh-liz-uhm ]

noun

, Sociology.

1. the subordination of the personal interests and prerogatives of an individual to the values and demands of the family:

   Familism characterized the patriarchal family.

Other Words From

• fami·list noun
• fami·listic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of familism¹

First recorded in 1635–45; famil(y) + -ism

Example Sentences

His critique expands in widening concentric circles to indict their prestigious all-boys school, neighborhood and faith, the national cults of fascism and “familism.”

From New York Times

Societies that depend too heavily on kinship ties risk falling into what political scientist Ed Banfield called “amoral familism,” in which the good of the family becomes the only end anyone recognizes.

From Washington Post

Meanwhile, many Latinas, the report authors note, maintain ties to a culture of “‘familism’ which advocates for the interests of the family as a whole to take precedence over the interest of any single member of the family”.

From The Guardian

Their guiding principle is akin to the "amoral familism" first described by Harvard's Edward Banfield.

From US News

The familism of the Trump clan was in full display in the dismissal of Corey Lewandowski and the selection of Gov. Mike Pence as vice presidential running mate.

From US News