Body by L. S. Vygotsky: Exploring possible understandings of the body in selected works of L. S. Vygotsky

First reconstructions and analyses of body and body-related terms will be presented, as described, defined explicitly or merely mentioned by Vygotsky in some selected works. The theoretical background used in order to fulfill this goal is based on hermeneutic approaches including corresponding attitudes and principles. These philosophical and methodological perspectives offer a research framework to reconstruct the most plausible, shareable and coherent interpretations. The hermeneutic spiral movement of going back and forth from parts to the whole within a work and between works is one of the most important methods used in this project. Background questions based on this general framework give some guidance to question critically all kind of interpretations including the researcher’s own implicit understandings of the explored topics.
Eventually, this may lead to a first attempt to add a more explicit “body” lens to selected concepts and ideas which may offer practical and methodological applications in educational / therapeutic fields, such as preschools, primary schools and psychomotor fields.
For this purpose, some paths are being inquired simultaneously in order to add interpretation layers to the reconstruction made within and between selected works of Vygotsky.
By offering alternative interpretation perspectives potentially developed on the basis of this research, social and cultural realities may be described and analysed using other nuances.