Introduction
This paper presents, what in my view are, significant contributions
of Kurt Lewin
to postmodern perspectives on culture and critical theory. Kurt Lewin
was born, eldest of four children, in 1890 in Prussia (Poland) in
a middle class Jewish family. Although Prussia was part of Germany
at that time, it was more anti-Semitic than the rest of Germany. He
grew up experiencing oppression and exclusion in Christian schools.
Nevertheless, as a patriotic German, Lewin fought bravely in the First
World War and received an Iron Cross. Lewins Jewish origin made
him sensitive to social and communal problems of his times. Lewins
biographer, Marrow (1969), claims that these oppressive experiences
account for Lewins interest in group dynamics. As a social democrat,
Lewin constantly discussed issues that related to democracy and societal
reorganization. He was strongly influenced by the holistic approach
of Gestalt psychology and neo-Kantian philosophy of science that championed
a critical examination of scientific concepts, theories, values, and
their validity.
He first came to the United States as a visiting professor to Stanford
University in
1932 (and formally immigrated to the U.S. with his wife & daughter
in 1933 and became a naturalized citizen in 1940). He taught at Cornell
University (for two years), University of Iowa (for ten years), and
finally the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (for just two years)
until his premature death in 1947. Although he began thinking and
writing in English only after visiting the U.S., his achievements
are undoubtedly monumental considering his seminal ideas on action
research, field theory, force field analysis, group dynamics, and
organizational development theory still define the respective fields!
Lewin strived to bring his research and understanding of psychological
theory to study social issues and ameliorate social problems. His
research interests included studies on cultural reconstruction, the
humanization of industry, psychological conditions and liberation
of oppressed minorities, use of scientific methods to examine the
roots of racial prejudice,
welfare of children, and other aspects of human relations. He was
a bellwether, who recognized the need to improve the position of women
even as a student almost 100 years ago. Not surprisingly, these contributions
also inspired pioneers such as Lev Vygotsky (1978, on the role of
activities in learning and development), Herbert Simon (1981, for
ideas on satisficing, bounded rationality, and selective search),
Carl Rogers (1969, on the importance of relationships for learning),
and Thomas Gilbert (1978, for the behavior engineering model framework),
individuals who have greatly influenced my thinking.
continua >>>>>
|
I Cittadini interessati possono scaricare l'intero testo da
fondo pagina
.pdf 84 Kb
17 pagine
|