Theory Use in Australian Sociology

The way theory is used by a discipline might seem a somewhat oblique aspect of its operation, perhaps not warranting its own chapter. But we think it to be a vital index of the way a discipline like sociology operates. In this chapter we consider the different ways in which theory is defined in Australian sociology, the way theory-in-sociology operates as both a means of disciplining the discipline and a supposedly special area of expertise, the way in which theory is taught within sociology, the way in which theory is situated in sociology textbooks, and the way in which the members of the Australian Sociological Association regard theory. The chapter shows theory to be a part of sociology’s fragility and rivalry, but also part of its survival.