SYMP 247 - Radical creativity, challenging theory, changing identities – Challenging and exploring the boundaries of theory through the concept of identity

We will address challenges and theoretical transgressions of cultural-historical theory through exploring identity (at a practical level) and possible theoretical transgressions (at a theoretical level) proposing limitations and ways to overcome some of them, within the cultural-historical framework.
By highlighting issues and exploring how limitations in current theory might be overcome by building on or appropriating other theories to expand on what the cultural-historical/activity theory heuristic cannot satisfactorily open up. For example, how might conceptual and language tools be analysed using theories which are compatible with the ontology and epistemology of contemporary Vygotskyan theory? How might questions of the dialectic tension between context and its influence on identity be modelled by expanding or crossing theoretical boundaries?
The four papers in this symposium take as their starting point how far material-dialectical theories can assist in explorations of (co-)construction of identity. We could argue that our paradigm only sees potential in a given situation, but is blind to that radical change which breaks with the causal chain of events. Across our four papers, we explore how far it is essential that theory evolves in order to explain the phenomenon of historically developing identities, and raise questions about the appropriation of additional concepts into cultural-historical theory.

The first two presentations address secondary school (Georgson) and teacher education level (Boag-Munroe). The third presentation will explore college lecturer’s relationship between identity, pedagogy and CPD (Jones) and the final presentation will address the problem looking at scholars within a university context (Møller & Sørensen).