Teorialle

Teorialle is a theoretical construct in narrative theory and media studies used to describe how narrative analysis interacts with production practices to shape viewer or reader experience. It treats theory and practice as reciprocal rather than hierarchical.

The term teorialle is commonly attributed to scholars in late 20th and early 21st century discussions, blending "theory" with a diminutive suffix drawn from several Romance languages, signaling a compact or focused theory.

It emerged in academic articles around the 2010s within participatory media studies and arts education, and has been used to bridge critical analysis with creative practice in film, theater, and digital storytelling.

Core concepts include three pillars: theory-to-practice mapping, which translates abstract concepts into concrete creative choices; reception-oriented interpretation, which foregrounds audience co-creation of meaning; and performative documentation, which makes production decisions explicit in text and feedback. The approach encourages iterative cycles between analysis and creation.

Methods typically involve annotating scenes with a combination of theoretical terms and production cues, and designing assignments or curricula that require both critical writing and practical creation.

Criticism notes that teorialle can blur disciplinary boundaries or risk privileging production concerns at the expense of textual analysis; related variants emphasize different relations, such as theory-in-action or practice-informed theory.

See also narratology, reception theory, theory-practice gap.