The source code of social theorising: engaging with binary distinctions, concepts and typologies

Purpose The purpose of this article is to propose a metatheoretical framework for understanding the practice of social theorising. I argue that the latter fundamentally consists of engaging with binary distinctions, concepts and typologies. Design/methodology/approach I combine pragmatic, systems-theoretical and critical-theoretical perspectives to discuss each of these three types of social-theoretical activity, paying particular attention to the foundational role of binaries. Findings I apply my metatheoretical framework to critical social theorising by demonstrating how engaging with binaries, concepts and typologies is used to explore power with the aim of exposing oppressive structures and fostering agency within historically contingent social systems. I pay particular attention to engaging with binaries, concepts and typologies in disability studies, my specialist area. Originality/value The analysis adds theoretical, methodological and pedagogical value. Theoretically, it strengthens metatheorising in social sciences, helping illuminate the basic building blocks or the “source code” of a theory; methodologically, it makes explicit the rules of engagement that organise theorising; and pedagogically, it demystifies social theorising, making the practice easier to teach and learn.