Re: [xmca] Soft Power and Collective Sense Making

[Martin John Packer <mpacker@uniandes.edu.co>]

I have questions on reading just the introduction to the article, too. I suppose my assumption whenever an "opposition" is being "wrestled with" is to think that it's a dialectical tension more than a contradiction. To the extent that tool-mediated activity involves sign-mediated communication, the two would seem to be sides of a coin. 

Then I'm a bit puzzled by the treatment of power. On first reading, it seems that power exerts only negative effects: it legitimizes motives, it sustains enduring patterns, rather than permitting change or making it possible. Then it turns out that only "hard power" is guilty of this. Soft power is kind and gentle. But if power is not  an entity that people hold, how does "hard power," which we're told is hierarchical, operate? I mean, if it can't be held, what keeps its distribution hierarchical?     

Reading on...

Martin

On May 12, 2013, at 8:20 AM, mike cole <lchcmike@gmail.com> wrote:

> Larry et al--
> 
> Instead of immediately moving to an article I suggested be considered in
> addition to, complementary to, the EddySpicer paper,
> could we start with the first question I asked. Here is how it went:
> 
> 
> First, I was intrigued by your assertion that "Post-Vygotskian theorists
> have long wrestled with the apparent
> opposition between the sign-mediated nature of collective meanting
> making.... and a focus on the object-oriented
> activity and practical action in cultural-historical perspectives. (my
> emphasis)".
> 
> Whose apparent? Who are the people who study sign mediation or
> cultural-historical processes with this opposition?
> 
> The question of values is in both, of course, and I am happy to get with
> it. But the Eddy Spicer article starts
> with the issue in red above. It is my fault for even whispering another
> article, and its very generous of Andy
> to post the article I was referring to, but I actually wanted to discuss
> THIS article for discussion.
> 
> Happy Mothers day from foggy so california.
> mike
> On Sun, May 12, 2013 at 12:59 AM, Jack Whitehead <jack@actionresearch.net>wrote:
> 
>> Dear Larry (and all),  I work and research with the assumption that values
>> are central for a good life. I also closely relate to the extract from the
>> article:
>> 
>>> "A diversity of traditions and values for a good life is central for
>> outlining a cultural-historical approach to  development and important for
>> the conceptualization of children's development THROUGH their participation
>> IN a variety of institutional
>>> practices".
>> 
>> I share Mariane's understanding that locating contrasting values of the
>> good life is a central key question for cultural historical theory of
>> children development (as a general question).
>> 
>> I also like the focus on contrasting values influencing, rather that
>> constituting, a preschool child's activity and social situation of
>> development as well as creating crises in the child's social situation.
>> 
>> My questions tend to focus on the particular as well as the general in
>> exploring my interest in developing valid explanations for the educational
>> influences of individuals in their own learning, in the learning of others
>> and in the learning of the social formations in which we live, work and
>> research. I'm curious about relationships between a cultural-historical
>> approach to development and such valid explanations of the educational
>> influences of individuals. Can anyone point me to such an explanation(s)?
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> On 12 May 2013, at 07:30, Larry Purss wrote:
>> 
>>> Mike, you have paused to hear others questions.
>>> 
>>> I would like to ask how central to development are "values for a good
>> life?"
>>> 
>>> I extracted this phrase from Mariane Hedegaard's article which you
>>> reference. On page 66 she writes, "A diversity of traditions and values
>> for
>>> a good life is central for outlining a cultural-historical approach to
>>> development and important for the conceptualization of children's
>>> development THROUGH their participation IN a variety of institutional
>>> practices".
>>> 
>>> Do others share Mariane's understanding that  locating contrasting values
>>> of the good life is a central key question for cultural historical theory
>>> of child development? [as a general question].
>>> 
>>> Different practice TRADITIONS with different demands and expectations
>> seen
>>> AS different understandings of "values of the good life". These
>> contrasting
>>> values INFLUENCE [not constitute] a preschool child's activity and social
>>> situation of development as well as create crisis in the child's social
>>> situation.
>>> 
>>> I will now pause and wait to hear others questions.
>>> 
>>> Larry
>> 
>> 
>> Love Jack.
>> -----------------------------------------------------------------
>> When Martin Dobson, a colleague, died in 2002 the last thing he said to me
>> was 'Give my Love to the Department'. In the 20 years I'd worked with
>> Martin it was his loving warmth of humanity that I recall with great life
>> affirming pleasure and I'm hoping that in Love Jack we can share this
>> value of common humanity.
>> 
>> Jack Whitehead , Adjunct Professor, Liverpool Hope University, UK.
>> 
>> Visiting Professor at the University of Cumbria
>> 
>> Life-time member of OMNIBUS (All Bath University Staff).
>> 
>> Secretary of Bath and West Co-operative Party.
>> 
>> web-site http://www.actionresearch.net with email address.
>> 
>> 
>> 
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