What If Theory Was Accountable?

Abstract

This reflective essay was written to challenge the idea that theory is only used in academic contexts — something I found to be prevalent in my undergraduate education. By asking “What if...?” and drawing on thinkers such as Audre Lorde, bell hooks, and Donna Haraway, I recontextualize my experiences with theory as something lived rather than abstract. Shaped by my own experiences with and beyond academia, this essay explores theory as a tool for making sense of power, positionality, and possibility.