problematize

Problematize is a verb meaning to treat or present something as a problem requiring analysis, rather than as a given or settled fact. It involves questioning assumptions, definitions, boundaries, and consequences associated with a concept, practice, or phenomenon. In scholarly contexts, to problematize a topic is to foreground uncertainties, tensions, or power relations and to invite critical inquiry rather than routine acceptance.

From problem + -ize, the noun problematization is commonly used to denote the process of turning an issue into a problem for study. British and American English variants include problematise and problematize, respectively. The term is widely used in social sciences, humanities, and education to mark a deliberate stance of critical examination.

In disciplines such as sociology, anthropology, literary studies, and education, scholars problematize concepts like development, identity, or pedagogy to reveal their historical contingency or normative assumptions. Example usage includes phrases such as, “The article problematizes the claim that digital literacy automatically leads to empowerment,” illustrating how a familiar idea is subjected to scrutiny rather than taken at face value.

Critics argue that overuse can render analysis vague or decorative, and that problematizing without constructive alternatives may stall policy or practice. Proponents counter that deliberate problematization helps expose biases, reveal underexamined dimensions, and widen analytical horizons, contributing to more nuanced understanding and more informed inquiry.

See also: critique, deconstruction, reflexivity, problematization, and related discussions in critical theory and qualitative research.