Abstract
Academic writers frequently aver a lack of a coherent theory of industrial relations and thus a lack of academic respectability for the discipline. An alternative emphasis is taken here, and the very idea of a single best theory rejected. The question of what is theorizing is addressed. In this, theory is considered as a process used to capture the practice of industrial relations and present it as an academic dialogue. The test of any theoretic account of practice is shown to be the extent to which it aids in understanding the practice. This is developed in a review of Australian and overseas literature. The criticisms of institutional writing by Marxists and of Marxist writing by institutionalists are noted. It is suggested that neither group fully avoids presenting industrial relations as a victimless crime. This may be overcome by considering industrial relations as one among a number of strategies used in capital-labour contestation.

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