Family Sciences: A New Open Access Journal

Family Sciences is founded on the conviction that the study of families must reflect the full richness, complexity, and cultural variability of family life around the world. While the existing domain of family science has been largely shaped by Western, Industrialized, Educated, Rich, and Democratic (WEIRD) contexts, our journal seeks to expand this foundation by intentionally elevating the voices, experiences, and systems of meaning found in non-Western and Global South settings.

We recognize diverse family forms—including extended kin networks, fictive and social parenting, religiously and customarily governed unions and associated practices (e.g., “bride price”)—and lived realities like familial displacement from war/conflict, subsistence livelihoods, and environmental interdependence. We recognize these not only as legitimate subjects of inquiry, but as essential in redefining the boundaries of our field. These traditions and innovations must be valued on their own terms and are critical in advancing a more inclusive, responsive, and globally grounded family science.

Our vision is to create a scholarly space where empirical rigor, theoretical innovation, and community-engaged research converge to develop evidence-based insights that protect, strengthen, and sustain families worldwide in a manner that balances respect for individuals and societies. By challenging dominant paradigms and amplifying underrepresented perspectives, Family Sciences aims to transform family science into a more equitable and effective field, one that is better equipped to respond to the global challenges and opportunities facing contemporary families both now and in the future.