Työläisäiti, photo by Liubov Vetoshkina (edit Sakari Hyrkkö)

Työläisäiti (Working mother) statue by sculptor Panu Patomäki, photo by Liubov Vetoshkina

The cultural-historical activity theory special interest group (CHAT-SIG) brings together researchers and research groups who use the Finnish tradition of cultural-historical activity theory in their research or engage in dialogue with it. The goal of the SIG is to further develop this theory both within education and in other disciplines in response to acute societal needs of our time.

The roots of cultural-historical activity theory lie in the works of Lev Vygotsky, Aleksei Leont’ev, Alexander Luria, V. V. Davydov and Evald Ilyenkov. Cultural-historical activity theory has developed in Finland as a multidisciplinary theory that studies and theorizes human activities taking place in educational and play settings, workplaces, communities and social movements. In recent years, researchers have focused on understanding interplay and networks between multiple activity systems, expansive learning, collective concept formation and transformative agency. The Finnish tradition of activity theory works with a sophisticated set of methodological tools of Change Laboratory, formative interventions and data analysis.

Contact persons:

Annalisa Sannino, annalisa.sannino@tuni.fi
Jaakko Hilppö, jaakko.hilppo@helsinki.fi

Coordination group:

Yrjö Engeström, University of Helsinki
Jaakko Hilppö, University of Helsinki
Liubov Vetoshkina, University of Helsinki
Sami Paavola, University of Helsinki
Annalisa Sannino, Tampere University