In social sciences and in the broader discourse on kinship, there seems to be a consensus that the importance of this form of social relationship has lost its significance in modern society. An exception to this trend are debates about so-called “clan”-crime in Germany. The term itself suggests a high importance of kinship relationships for this form of crime. Groups of people, usually of Middle Eastern origin, referred to as “clan” and less often “clan family”, are connected by kinship relationships and a common ethnic origin. However, a critical perspective on the term “clan” crime requires a critical review of the assumptions about the role that kinship plays for the phenomenon. For this reason, the present contribution aims to shed light on the kinship constructions of members of Arabic-speaking extended families in Germany. To gain insights into the conceptions of kinship and the influence of relatives on the everyday life of members of so-called “clans” from their perspective, a qualitative, (Ego-)network-centered approach was chosen.