On Third Generation Activity Theory: Interview With Yrjö Engeström
Authors
Yrjö Engeström
Center for Activity Theory and Developmental Work Research, University of Helsinki
Vlad Glăveanu
EJOP Editor, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
Abstract
In this interview Prof. Engeström discusses his professional trajectory and interest in cultural-historical activity theory with a focus on its insights into the fields of work and human development. He comments on recent transformations within this theoretical orientation, many of them promoted by his research into a variety of workplaces and organisations. Methodological aspects, and in particular formative intervention methods such as the Change Laboratory, are also considered. Prof. Engeström’s published work covers a multitude of real-life contexts and offers us a perfect example of how psychological research can be a powerful tool not only for understanding reality but actively shaping it.
