What is problematizing in the Social Sciences?

"Ability to question received truths"
- Dr Ramon Guillermo
Araling Pilipino Professor, UP Diliman


"According to Foucault, problematizing is the process that makes visible what had been invisible before.  It politicizes the taken for granted "truths".
-Prof Clarinda Berja
Political Science and Social Research Professor, UP Manila


"In social science research, this refers to seeing ordinary, usual, taken for granted social phenomena as object and subject of inquiry and transformation.  In the practical sense, a fuctionalist will see problematizing as a process of looking into what are the disruption of the so called "order" or "status quo" and purports to craft interventions that will regain back balance in the society. Since this is anti human, problematizing focuses on system, and humans as active actors are peripheralized or excluded. Social conflict problematizing problematizes the unequal distribution of resources and ultimately aims to change society. For a symbolic interactionist, problematizing highlights the process of how people as a group make sense, through constant interaction facilitated by symbols or language.  The focus of problematizing is more on the subjective nuances of social entities as they experience the social world.  Postmodern problematizes representations that are nothing but functions of language. This perspective questions the privileging of one body of knowledge or representation over others."
- Prof Dindo Cafe
Sociology and Behavioral Science Professor, UP Manila


"Pagpapaunlad sa kasanayan at/o kadalubhasaan na suriin ang mga ipinagpapalagay (assumed) na mga karaniwang kaalaman (common knowledge) upang makabuo ng panibago at mas kritikal na pagdadalumat sa panlipunang penomenon na sabjek ng pag-aaral.  Ang matagumpay na pagsasagawa ng prosesong ito, kadalasan, ang ubod ng mga matatagumpay na panlipunang pananaliksik."
- Prof Cleve Arguelles
Political Science Professor, UP Manila