ABSTRACT
In this essay, I explore the shifts in the current landscape regarding the treatment of theory and pedagogy as a critical endeavor. Swartz argued that there is disconnect between the work of “theory” and “pedagogy,” a notion I find quite unsettling. In contrast, Critical Communication Pedagogy educators begin with a premise of equity, inclusiveness, and reflexivity—arranging paradigms for disciplinary spaces to foster advancements of theory and pedagogy in concert with each other. I examine the possibilities within the literature, offer consideration for what has been accomplished, nuance the critical paradigm to connect theory and pedagogy through praxis, share innovations and acceptance of disciplinary spaces, and invite a conversation around educational commitments, ownership, and “work.”
