Sociological activity in the United States from about World War I until recently de-emphasized theory. Instructor and teacher and researcher were largely concerned with teaching or learning or digging up factual information about this or that aspect of society, especially American society, and were often prone to identify "theory" with philosophy and even idle speculation. Empirically established facts, they sometimes seemed to say, speak for themselves and-if we gather enough of them-their voices will constitute a sociological science.