Social Theory and Theorizing

Bibliographic Data

ID19174652
AuthorsRichard Swedberg (0000-0003-0635-0581, corresponding author)
Year2017
Pages1-13
Publication date2017-12-04
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeOTHER
VenueThe Wiley-Blackwell Encyclopedia of Social Theory (JOURNAL)
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/9781118430873.est0860
OpenAlexW2944844976
ISBN9781118430873
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited33

While there exist a huge literature on theory, much less has been written on theorizing or the process that precedes the final formulation of a theory. There also exists very little material on how you teach theorizing, something that is worrisome especially given the difficulty that many students have when they try to use theory in their empirical research. Some suggestions for how to teach theorizing, both at the graduate and the undergraduate level, can be found in this entry. So can suggestions for the different steps that need to be taken when you theorize. The following steps are useful to follow when the student is a beginner: you observe (Step 1); you name the phenomenon you are interested in (Step 2); you use and/or develop concepts (Step 3); you push further toward an explanation by using, for example, metaphors, analogies, classifications and/or typologies (Step 4); and you try to come up with an explanation for the phenomenon you are researching (Step 5)

Epistemology · Phenomenon · Social phenomenon · Sociology · Computer Science · Contemporary Sociological Theory and Practice · Management and Organizational Studies · Philosophy · Social and Cultural Dynamics

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