Browsing by Subject "Figured world"

Scope of the study. The scope of the study is to research the key concepts in the book Identity and Agency in Cultural Worlds by Holland, Lachicotte, Skinner, and Cain (1998) using systematic analysis as the method. The aim was to expand the knowledge of how the surrounding world affects human identity and action according to the authors. Method. The study was conducted by the means of systematic analysis where the aim was to apply oneself to one book and the key concepts in it. The book by Holland et al. used in the study was the first edition from 1998. The focus in the analysis was the concepts of identity, agency and cultural worlds (as in the title of the book), and also how the concepts are structured in the book studied. Results and analysis. Results reveal that it is sensible to think the meanings of the concepts (identity, agency and cultural world) that the authors of the book have mentioned in the title in more detail. After reading and studying the book, it was noticed that the structure of the book might not reveal the meanings of the key concepts if one has not thoroughly gotten into the book. The concept of agency is left somewhat on the background even though it is significant part of human action in cultural and social worlds and in the building process of identity. The concept of agency in the book is linked to the concept of improvisation. Also, instead of cultural worlds, the book focuses on the concept of ‘figured world’ which includes both, cultural and social aspects. At the same time, the meaning of identity is described on many levels in the book, and cannot be understood with a singular meaning. The role of identity can be seen as directing the action of a person, based on previous experiences that one has encountered but also the current situation. People also have different sides of identity that show in different figured worlds. All the key concepts in the book are built by heuristic development throughout the book, meaning they inherit more meanings as the book advances.