What is the Impact of Political Theory?

Abstract

I am very grateful for the contributions by Andrew Vincent, James Alexander and John Dunn to this symposium on 'impact' and political theory. Their papers provide insightful perspectives and different critical engagements with my recent piece for this journal. Their reflections force me to revisit my central argument that the impact agenda unveiled in the United Kingdom's new Research Excellence Framework (REF) need not be the negative development for political theorists that many fear - and perhaps even that it should be embraced.