Theory and Methodology in Sociology–Guiding Distinction

ABSTRACT This study analyses how theory and methodology function as guiding distinctions in sociology, drawing upon Niklas Luhmann's social systems theory. By examining fifteen Croatian sociologists who engaged with a hypothetical case study on generative artificial intelligence in labour markets, we analysed their theoretical and methodological approaches. The findings reveal a distinct ‘methodological imperative,’ as participants tended to align more around structured rules and data‐gathering procedures rather than around theoretical frameworks. This suggests that methodology, with its standardised forms, provides a clearer path for inclusion in scientific communication, whereas theory remains conceptually broader yet comparatively less structured. Consequently, the study underscores the interplay between these two programmes in shaping sociology's collective knowledge, illustrating how their co‐existence supports the discipline's ongoing capacity for self‐differentiation.