Chapter 2 dives into the main theme of the book: theorizing as concept, as dialogue and as practice. First, a short introduction to perceptions of knowledge production, based in ancient Greek philosophy, is given. Based on the contributors’ reflections, this is followed by a discussion of what theory is and what theory aims at. Subsequently, personal practices and subjective inspiration are presented, creating a base for pinpointing the dialogical and social dimensions of theorizing. Moreover, these reflections are nuanced through points regarding the beauty of theory and the notion of finding your own voice as researcher.

Chapter 3 is concerned with what makes you think, that is, the subject matter, ideas and topics that trigger curiosity and an urge to think beyond what is already there. The chapter starts with a short introduction to existential phenomenology to set the scene regarding the focus on practice studies as foundation for theorizing. This is followed by the contributors’ reflections on their own approach to practice, what conditions the emergence of interesting research topics and how both choice and chance influence and shape the research path. In continuation thereof, the notion of data, what constitutes data and how it is addressed, are reflected upon.

Chapter 4 focuses on the interplay between the existing literature, the academic community, as well as the context in which research takes place. Thus, the chapter explores how people, places and publications influence theorizing. The concept of intertextuality is used as the theoretical lens for identifying different types of reading and writing practices as well as for discussing the relation between existing texts and novel contributions. The metaphor of ‘academic family’ is introduced to unfold the contributors’ reflections on their own academic antecedents, how they engage in dialogue with literature and how this also supports a feeling of belonging to a field.

Chapter 5 discusses what it means to make a contribution. The interviews reveal that contributing is perceived more broadly than merely publishing an academic text. It also means to contribute to society at large or to a specific person. Moreover, the identification of a ten-year loop of academic knowledge production and the retrospective aspects of what the academic and/or practice community pick up and consider a contribution are applied to argue for the term theory-in-the-making. The chapter also challenges the notion that a theoretical contribution identifies and fills a gap in the literature and instead highlights how academic fashion, temporal aspects and academic maturity influence what is perceived as a contribution – both by the researcher as an individual, by the academic community and by practice.

Chapter 6 sums up the main points from the book both regarding views on theorizing and the practices of the contributors. It is emphasized that theories are applied to reduce complexity and to better understand phenomena, that theorizing is about engaging in dialogue with existing thoughts and that the process itself can be triggered by aesthetic concerns, what bounces back at you and anxiety. In addition, the inherent critique of the current academic system in the interview material is reflected upon and it is discussed whether the review and reward process of academia supports academic craftsmanship and idiosyncratic creativity, which seem to be the two cornerstones of theorizing. Finally, the reader is encouraged to find or refine his or her own voice as a researcher, thinker and theorizer.