Editors' Foreword

The special issue of the Journal “Cultural-Historical Theory and Activity Approach: Social and Educational Practices” was prepared jointly by Moscow State University of Psychology and Education and the International Society for Cultural-Historical Activity Research to coincide with the forthcoming 6th ISCAR Congress 2021 in Brazil. Due to the pandemic the Congress is to be held on-line and thus many of us will miss the opportunity of face-to-face discussions. To create more space for exchanging ideas and encouraging a cross-disciplinary dialogue we decided to prepare two special volumes, one of which is released in the lead up to the Congress.

The first volume of the special issue includes three sections. Section “Discovering Vygotsky: New Pages in CHT” invites the readers to reflect upon the legacy of the founder of the Cultural-Historical Theory in the light of the recent archival findings and contemporary challenges. Two manuscripts by L.S. Vygotsky are published on the pages of the issue for the first time. They are published in Russian, and we hope to complete the challenging task of their accurate translation into English in the near future. The articles of the section suggest possible readings of L.S. Vy­gotsky’s works and invite to a discussion of Vygotsky’s legacy and its significance for contemporary psychology.

Section “Learning Interactions: Constructing of Developing Environments” focuses on various approaches to applying Cultural-Historical Theory and Activity Approach in educational settings all over the world.

Section “Innovative Practices: Learning, Development, Upbringing” highlights innovative contemporary practices in different fields, including those, which emerge in the new social situation, largely influenced by the pandemic of COVID-19.

We hope that the current volume would provide much food for thought and become a starting point for discussions that will continue in the framework of the Congress.

This volume is dedicated to the memory of Pentti Hakkarainen, an outstanding developmental and educational psychologist, specialist in children’s play and creator of play worlds, who largely contributed to the dissemination of the Cultural-Historical Theory in the world.

Prof. Vitaly Rubtsov, President of MSUPE Prof. Katerina Plakitsi, ISCAR President

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