village community; insular community; closed society
Refers to a traditional, hierarchical, conservative, and exclusive community, often with strong internal bonds and resistance to outsiders. Used both literally for rural villages and metaphorically for any tight-knit, exclusionary group.
In Japanese village communities, outsiders may find it hard to be accepted.
That company is like an insular community, and it takes time for new employees to fit in.
Extended meaning: a closed, collusive group within an organization or industry, often with negative connotations of exclusivity and unfair practices.
The industry's cartel repeatedly engaged in bid-rigging.
There are many cliques in the political world.
仲間意識 refers to a sense of fellowship or camaraderie, which can be a feature of a 村社会, but 村社会 emphasizes the closed, hierarchical structure.
Standard kanji spelling.
Katakana spelling emphasizing the 'mura' (village) aspect, often used in sociological contexts.
Compound of 村 (mura, 'village') and 社会 (shakai, 'society'). The term gained currency in sociological discussions of Japanese rural community structures and their metaphorical extensions.