Re: [xmca] Vygotsky on Identity? - LSV never wrote on Identity :)

From: Andy Blunden <ablunden who-is-at mira.net>
Date: Thu Nov 22 2007 - 02:16:13 PST

 From my very superficial search it does seem that we have work by
"westerners" using basic ideas of cultural-historical activity theory to
develop a theory of identity construction, and to my eyes this work seems
to be quite valid so far I can see, but it does seem that Anton is right.
Could I proffer a suggestion that is somewhat in line with Bella's
suggestion: in the conditions of late 1920s/early 1930s Soviet Union where
Vygotsky worked, and Vygotsky's social position dedicated to his role in
the preparation of the conditions for the construction of the socialist
future and the new type of human being, there was really no difference
between growing up to become a citizen of the Soviet Union of good
character and personality and what we in the late-capitalist world call
identity? It is the absence of a unitary super-ego and the multiplicity of
available visions of the good, and conflicting claims upon our loyalty
which makes the problem of identity-construction such a central problem for
our psychology. There just was no such problem for Vygotsky. The work that
Eric pointed to about "Defectology" certain gave some hints in the
direction of a theory of identity and shows Vygotsky's interest in efforts
to appropriate Adler's individual psychology, but I think I can only see
hints here, not an actual concept of identity as such.

Does that make sense. Can our Russian comrades tell me that I am quite
mistaken?

Andy
At 10:47 AM 21/11/2007 +0200, you wrote:
>You are right, Anton- there is no exact word in Russian, but there are
>related terms and themas. When he speaks about the role of
>national/international culture in upbringing and education is it related to
>identity formation?
>Bella Kotik-Friedgut
>
>
>On 11/21/07, Anton Yasnitsky <the_yasya@yahoo.com> wrote:
> >
> > I would argue Vygotsky never wrote on Identity :) --
> >
> > unless anybody points out what Identity might stand for in Vygotsky's -
> > preferably original - texts.
> >
> > AY.
> >
> >
> > --- Andy Blunden <ablunden@mira.net> wrote:
> >
> > > Can anyone point me to where I should look in Vygotsky for his ideas on
> > > Identity and Identity formation?
> > > I have the LSV Collected Works.
> > >
> > > Andy
> > >
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>--
>Sincerely yours Bella Kotik-Friedgut
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  Andy Blunden : http://home.mira.net/~andy/ tel (H) +61 3 9380 9435,
mobile 0409 358 651

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Received on Thu Nov 22 02:17 PST 2007

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