Indeed, an underlying motive for th

Indeed, an underlying motive for this paper is that unless empirical researchers reflect upon the way in which wider theories impact their work, there is some danger that the divide that exists between urban theorists on the one hand and empirical researchers on the other (alluded to, for instance, by Beauregard, 2006) will either remain largely unbridged, or will tend only to be crossed in one direction, by theorists who examine and challenge empirical work.