ABSTRACT
This chapter sets questions pertaining to theory, philosophy and research in their broader contexts. Beginning with brief reflections on the meaning and significance of key terms, I argue for a shift from “theory and research” to “theory as research” in education. I stress the importance of ideas and intellectual kinship in pushing back against the dominant policy trends of our time, ask how we might make philosophy of education a way of life, and explore some of the possible consequences of serious engagement with theory. This chapter also considers some of the practical dimensions of the research process, with particular attention to methods, methodologies and theoretical frameworks. I conclude with a few remarks on the value of expanding the range of sources we consult in addressing philosophical and educational questions.
