ABSTRACT
This chapter traverses the broad range of formal ideas used to make sense of domestic and family violence (DFV). It starts by considering the importance of the role of theory and then goes on to examine different theoretical approaches and their relative usefulness in this field. Initially, this is done by categorising theories into “strands” so that the ideas can be bundled together or teased out. In this way, readers can appreciate and assess the relative merits of each idea and its usefulness, as separate conceptual tools or in combination.
These strands and their components are then considered in light of two broad philosophical traditions: those theories that emphasise (structural and functional) causation, and the post-structuralist body of thought, which is more concerned with DFV as embodied and contextualised abuse and acts of resistance to that abuse. Finally, this chapter makes the point that a broadly feminist tradition has proved both versatile and enduring throughout the history of DFV theorising. This chapter, therefore, proposes that post-structuralist feminism, because it provides a compelling fit with evidence and takes into account the lived experiences, agency, and purposes of people affected, provides the most appropriate and promising way forward for both making sense of and responding to the problem.
