Reframing Sociocultural Research on Literacy

by Cynthia Lewis (Editor), Patricia E. Enciso (Editor), Elizabeth Birr Moje (Editor)

This landmark volume articulates and develops the argument that new directions in sociocultural theory are needed in order to address important issues of identity, agency, and power that are central to understanding literacy research and literacy learning as social and cultural practices. With an overarching focus on the research process as it relates to sociocultural research, the book is organized around two conceptual frameworks and knowledge sources.
*Part I, “Rethinking Conceptual Frameworks,” offers new theoretical lenses for reconsidering key concepts traditionally associated with sociocultural theory, such as activity, history, community, and the ways they are conceptualized and under-conceptualized within sociocultural theory.
*Part II, “Rethinking Knowledge and Representation,” considers the tensions and possibilities related to how research knowledge is produced, represented, and disseminated or shared―challenging the locus of authority in research relationships, asking who is authorized to be a legitimate knowledge source, for what purposes, and for which audiences or stakeholders.

Employing the lens of “critical sociocultural research,” this book focuses on the central role of language and identity in learning and literacy practices. It is intended for scholars, researchers, and graduate students in literacy education, social and cultural psychology, social foundations of education, educational anthropology, curriculum theory, and qualitative research in education.

226 pages, Paperback

First published March 28, 2007

Reviews

[Sunah Chung · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a potential researcher in education field, it is not an easy job to set a purpose of a study, to have a theoretical perspective, and to design a research project. This is because educational research is about human beings. In various research topics, studies on literacy are one of the complicated issues. Reframing Sociocultural Research on Literacy shows examples of studies which adopt sociocultural perspectives to conduct research on literacy. The first three chapters are about theoretical perspectives on social issues, and they help me to reconsider the concepts of history and community. The rest of the three chapters are abut knowledge and literacy practices. Knowledge I have is socially constructed, as well as I also have an influence on the social and cultural capitals vice versa. Meaning of language and literacy practices are also discussed. Commentaries of each three chapters are also provided. Overall, the contents focus on not only sociocultural theories but also practical applications in qualitative research. As “[e]ducational research is research done by humans with humans for humans (p. 185)”, the research on education is to explore the process and communication between human beings. Even examination on the contents of literature or literacy environments also have an implication.

[Dani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crochet flower bookmark.

This books is important, interesting, hard, and dense. My issue mostly stems from me not even knowing what the sociocultural research on literacy was in the first place (and also not knowing the research on literacy, sociocultural or otherwise), so I felt a little lost in the sauce at times.

[CEHD at the U of M]

Cynthia Lewis, co-editor.