Sociaux

Sociaux is the French adjective meaning relating to society and is used to describe phenomena, institutions, and processes that involve social life and collective relations. In French grammar, the masculine plural form is sociaux and the feminine plural form is sociales. The term is widely used in academic and public discourse to distinguish social factors from economic or political ones. In everyday language, phrases include enjeux sociaux, politiques sociales, and médias sociaux.

Origin and usage: derived from Latin socialis, from socius, meaning companion or ally. The word appears across disciplines to signal the social dimension of issues, contrasting with purely economic or technical aspects. It is common in discussions about policy, welfare, mobility, health, and culture.

Fields of relevance: sciences sociales (sociology, anthropology, political science, economics) study social structures, institutions, norms, and behavior. The concept also appears in social policy, social welfare (sécurité sociale), social work (travail social), and social movements, as well as in media and communication contexts referring to platforms and networks.

Note on nuance: in some contexts, terms such as sociétal (pertaining to society at large) or sociologique (pertaining to the science of sociology) are used to nuance meaning. The simple use of social/ sociaux often emphasizes interpersonal relations and immediate social life, while broader terms may address systemic or structural questions.

History: the modern use of social as a category expanded with the rise of sociology and social policy in the 18th and 19th centuries, influenced by Enlightenment ideas and reform movements. Thinkers such as Comte contributed to framing social study as a distinct field.

See also: sciences sociales, sociologie, médias sociaux, sécurité sociale, politique sociale.