Problematiques

Problematiques is the plural form of the French term problématique, used in academic writing to designate the set of questions, issues, or lines of inquiry that frame a research project, analysis, or argument. The word derives from probleme and the -atique suffix, conveying the idea of problematisation: the process of turning a topic into a structured field of questions.

In scholarly usage, a problématique defines the scope, stakes, and relationships among concepts, and it links theory to method by guiding data collection, analysis, and interpretation. The plural problematiques can refer to multiple such framings within a single work or to the major lines of inquiry that characterize a field or study. Researchers may articulate several problematiques within a dissertation or explore different problematiques across case studies, always with the aim of clarifying what is being questioned, why it matters, and what would count as a satisfactory answer.

The term is primarily used in French-language contexts, where problématique can also indicate the overall analytical lens through which a topic is examined. In English, the term problematique is borrowed, and problematics may appear but is less common; the English usage often adopts problem as a straightforward synonym for a specific issue rather than the broader framing implied by problématique.

A well-formulated problématique enhances argumentative coherence by making explicit the questions, assumptions, and criteria for evaluation. Conversely, vagueness or an overly broad formulation can weaken the clarity and focus of a study.