The Need for Confluence: Why a “River” Runs Through It

Abstract

In the recently released The World of Science Education: Handbook of Research in North America (Roth and Tobin 2009), Regina Smardon (2009) provides a brief history of sociocultural and cultural-historical frameworks for science education. Smardon’s key point is to bring together sociocultural and cultural-historical activity theories in science education to analyze the complexity of cultural staying power, change, and individual and collective agency. This book builds on sociocultural theory by enlarging the conversation around the ecosociocultural confluence of ecojustice, indigenous knowledge systems, and a sense of place, and demonstrates how they also lead to a greater participatory democracy. Creating participatory democracy through cultural studies and environmentalism is in line with this mission of confluence, situations where we participate and advocate through actions.