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2 years ago in Academic Consensus By Rinku

What role do academic "schools of thought" play in forming or preventing consensus?

In my field (e.g., International Relations or Literary Theory), there are distinct schools (Realists vs. Liberals, Post-structuralists vs. Formalists). Does this mean there is no true consensus, or are there still points of agreement within the "meta-field"?

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By Willey Answered 1 year ago

Schools of thought are competing paradigms, so consensus on grand theories is rare. However, consensus often exists at different, foundational levels. For example, in International Relations, Realists and Liberals may disagree on state motivation, but they agree on a set of core historical events, key concepts (sovereignty, anarchy), and even certain methodological standards (case study validity). In Literary Theory, scholars may agree on the importance of certain primary texts or historical contexts, even as they interpret them differently. The "consensus" is about the shared object of study and the rules of legitimate argument, not the final interpretation. Your work should demonstrate you understand the map of these schools and can position your contribution within or across them.

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