This is the first book in English to show how the work of Lev Vygotsky
gave rise to a prolific and original school of cultural-historical
psychology in Latin America. In recent decades, Latin American
researchers have expanded Vygotskyan conceptualizations and applied
practical theory to psychological and educational research and practice,
but until now this production remained virtually unknown for English
speaking audiences since it has been mainly published in Spanish and
Portuguese. This timely volume contributes to change this situation by
presenting a panoramic picture of the state of the art of
cultural-historical psychology in Latin America.
The book is divided in two parts. The first part shows how Latin
American researchers used Vygotsky's work to develop new theoretical
elaborations and empirical advances to deal with different political,
social and cultural problems in the region. The second part presents an
overview of the current state of cultural-historical psychology in Latin
America. Throughout its 15 chapters, the book shows how Latin American
researchers contributed to the studies of different aspects of the
cultural-historical theoretical conception of the development of higher
psychological functions, such as concept formation, inner speech, zone
of proximal development and imagination, and how these theoretical
elaborations have been applied to research and practice in fields such
as sociocultural psychology, developmental psychology, psychotherapy and
education in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, Peru and
Puerto Rico.
Latin American Advances in Subjectivity and Development - Through the
Vygotsky Route will be an invaluable resource to researchers, students
and practitioners in the fields of psychology, education and other
social sciences interested in discovering or learning more about the
original Latin American school of cultural-historical psychology.
