This article argues that urban studies have not reached a status of clearly defined discipline in France due to the epistemological conflicts that shape the social sciences dedicated to the urban phenomena. Based on the example of a research protocol dealing with the implementation of French programs of urban renewal and after an examination of the literature at the foundation of French urban studies, the article suggests to improve the dialogue between the different works of this research stream following a logic of interdisciplinarity that could be favorable to the structuration of a specific discipline.