Dialecticism

After introducing the concept of dialecticism, there is some further comment on Piaget’s theory insofar as it has been regarded as dialectical. The chapter then focuses on the work of Vygotsky, Rubinstein and Riegel, whose theories were based on the notion that development occurs as a result of a tension, or transaction, between internal and external influences. The use of cultural tools, especially language, was central to Vygotsky’s thinking. The chapter discusses how his work was nearly lost and his theory often misrepresented, but continues to inspire work on pedagogy and disability. Rubinstein’s lesser-known theory of ‘constitutive relationism’ and Riegel’s ‘double-dialecticism’ are also covered. Dialecticism represented a move in the direction of more holistic and systemic views of development, posing a challenge to positivist thinking.