1st Edition
Semiotic Construction of the Self in Multicultural Societies A Theory of Proculturation
Semiotic Construction of the Self in Multicultural Societies elaborates on a holistic theory on the self, by means of integrating social representation theory, dialogical self theory and particular ideas from Vygotskyan developmental psychology in one framework.
This book sends a humanistic message by indicating the power of inexhaustible human imagination that empowers individuals to strive for knowing the unknown, checking limits of their abilities and challenging (distancing) and at the same time, affectively and semiotically engaging (undistancing and recreating) their heritage cultures. It provides theoretical elaborations and innovations through the example of the case study of Georgian society and particular cases of proculturation. The theoretical and empirical explorations of proculturation experiences allow ways of tracing the rebuilding of the bridges between psychological and anthropological sciences, paving a path towards transdisciplinary approaches.
This book will be of great interest to academics, researchers and post-graduate students in the fields of social psychology, semiotics and multicultural studies.
Series Editor Introduction Jaan Valsiner
Introduction
Part I
Chapter 1 – Considering semiotic dynamics of social representation
Chapter 2- Overcoming fragmentation – Semiotic dynamics of the self’s construction
Chapter 3 - Theory of Proculturation
Chapter 4- Proculturation as a systemic phenomenological process
Chapter 5– Considering methodological preconditions for proculturation studies
Part II
Chapter 6 - Historical roots of Georgianness – Ethnic positioning through reintegrative proculturation
Chapter 7 - Constructing social representations as sign-complexes – from historical foundations towards contemporary Georgianness
Chapter 8 - The case of emigrant’s proculturation – semiotic jump in the human development
Chapter 9- Conclusions: Proculturation of the Self in context
Biography
Vladimer Lado Gamsakhurdia is an Assistant Professor at Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Georgia. He got Georgian national "Dimitri Uznadze award in social sciences" in 2019. His interests are associated with theoretical and empirical explorations of self and identity construction, proculturation, and persons' relations with cultures.
