5A. What is Theory?
This piece asks the question: \u201cwhat is theory?\u201d It begins by attempting to define \u201ctheory\u201d as a term or as a concept, a task that involves addressing ideas of abstraction, generalization, science, discourse, language and rhetoric, as well as the persistent oppositions between theory and practice, theory and history, theory as engaged and instrumental or theory as reflective and critical.