Identity and agency in cultural worlds

This book addresses the central problem in anthropological theory today: the paradox taht humans are products of social discipline yet producers of remarkable improvisation. Synthesizing theoretical contributions by Vygotsky, Bakhtin, and Bourdieu, the authors develop a theory of self-formation in which identities become the pivot between discipline and agency, from experiencing one´ s scripted social positions to making one´ s way into cultural world as a knowledgeable and committed participant.