Re: other voices

From: Eugene Matusov (ematusov@udel.edu)
Date: Thu Mar 29 2001 - 07:18:09 PST


Hi Mike and Lisa--

In my view, one of major issues separating Russian Vygotskian school and US
Vygotskian school is the issue of diversity. Russian Vygtoskian school (or
better to say a family of approaches) exemplified nicely by Davydov's
statement about one right way for cognitive development believes that there
is one truth, one historical development of society, one direction of
progress, one Grand Theory of development (in the Hegel-Marx-Vygotsky
tradition). Russian Vygotskian school focuses on defining and promoting THE
progress.

US Vygotskian school (or better to say a family of approaches) rejects the
Hegel-Marx-Vygotsky idea of one historical development of society and focus,
instead, on relations among cultures. US Vygotskian school focuses on
promoting dialogue (cf. Bakhtin), participation, and access to practices and
institutions. That is why, in my view, Jim Wetrsch insists on the term
"sociocultural" rather than "socio-historical" as Vygotsky used. Russian
Vygotskian school is much closer to Vygotsky, of course (remember
Luria-Vygotsky x-cultural studies of "primitive" Uzbeks?).

I wonder how can US sociocultrual approach guide us to promote necessary
transformations of the academia insitutionsto make it open and more
comfotable for participation of "others" (not middle- and upper-class white
males)?

What do you think?

Eugene

----- Original Message -----
From: <lclynch@indiana.edu>
To: <ch-sig@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, March 29, 2001 8:48 AM
Subject: [ch-sig] Re: other voices

> This sounds very interesting. It is my understanding that one of
> Vygotsky's original intention was to develop a unified psychology. I
> am unsure if the post-Vygotskian Russian and Western scholars
> undertook this task after him, or by developing their theoretical
> framework further isolated themsevles from the other schools of
> psychology. Additionally, it would be interesting to identify how we
> related to our allies. I think that this type of effort may
> clarify/simplify the stereotypical complexity that is associated to
> sociocultural/sociohistorical psychology.
>
> -------------------------------------------------
> Lisa C. Yamagata-Lynch
> Doctoral Candidate in Educational Psychology and
> Instructional Systems Technology
> Indiana University, Bloomington
> lclynch@indiana.edu
> http://php.indiana.edu/~lclynch
> -------------------------------------------------

----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike Cole" <mcole@weber.ucsd.edu>
To: <ematusov@UDel.Edu>
Cc: <ch-sig@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, March 29, 2001 12:03 AM
Subject: RE: other voices

> Hi Eugene-- We seem to be on the same wavelength. And there is a really
> interesting paradox/puzzle here. In the US, we can, as you point out,
> really push for other voices, with diversity designated along a lot of
> dimensions: class, gender, ethnicity, etc.
>
> but what about the parallel traditions in the form Soviet Union? We hear
> a little from a few Georgians, a few Armenians, a few Estonians, but
> Vasilii Davydov scandalized LCHC by his insistence on the one right way
> to cognitive development and we hear little from the many many ethnicities
> of Russia and Eastern Europe.
>
> right now I am hoping to be able to cooperate with Finnish colleagues who
> have an natural historical interest in interactions with the people of
Karelia.
>
> What about the volga germans? The Jews stranded in the paradise of
Beribezhan?
> etc?
>
> It could make for a fascinating meeting.
> mike
> ,.
--------------------
>
> --- In ch-sig who-is-at y..., "Eugene Matusov" <ematusov@u...> wrote:
> > Thanks, Mike, for the interesting suggestion. Maybe it is a good
> idea to
> > think whom we can invite.
> >
> > I also have a nostalgia for one of our first business meetings (in
> San
> > Francisco, I guess) when we had a debate on sociocultural/CHAT
> views on
> > education and its problems.
> >
> > Also, I was thinking that it will be nice to invite our allies like
> social
> > constructionists, Deweyians, feminists, and so on and have
> discussion
> > exploring similarities and differences among this family of
> approaches...
> >
> > Another topic that is dear to me is US academia for women, people
> of color,
> > immigrants, and foreigners (the groups are not mutually exclusive
> of course
> > :-). It is not a top military secret that US academia has been
> historically
> > designed to fit white middle- and upper-class males. Also, US
> economic and
> > political domination in the world makes US academia almost the
> academia. It
> > is interesting to explore how "others" feel, think, and live in
> that regime,
> > what problems "they" have and that "our" place in addressing the
> problems.
> >
> > Any other ideas? What do you think?
> >
> > Eugene
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Mike Cole [mailto:mcole who-is-at w...]
> > > Sent: Wednesday, March 28, 2001 12:28 PM
> > > To: xmca who-is-at w...
> > > Subject: other voices
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Eugene-- I will not be able to make it to Seattle, but hopefully
> will
> > > be able to make it to New Orleans next year. In any event, I
> think that
> > > an interesting theme would be something like "other voices." By
> this I
> > > mean, cultural-historical theorists who have contributed to the
> > > development
> > > of educational theory who have not figured prominently in most of
> the
> > > discussions I have seen.
> > >
> > > Bill B's note on Elkonin, who ought be better known than he is
> sparked
> > > this idea, but there are lots of younger people from Eastern
> Europe
> > > who might be involved and I would not restrict the list to
> the "eastern"
> > > tradition, but think about possibilities from other parts of the
> world
> > > as well.
> > > mike
>
>
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