Cosmopolitan patriot: The life and scholarship of Peeter Tulviste (1945

Abstract

Professor Peeter Tulviste (1945–2017) was a leading figure in the study of psychology and the history of psychology, whose life and scholarship went through several unexpected phases. Building on the writings of L.S. Vygotsky, A.R. Luria, and others, he was driven by a quest to understand others’ worldviews. Over his lifetime he was led him to see how such views can differ in ways that extend even beyond theoretical claims about how human mental life is situated in cultural, institutional, and historical contexts. He never lost his fascination with these issues and approached them with lifelong cosmopolitan leanings. At the same time, his commitment as an Estonian patriot grew stronger over the course of his career. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, Tulviste was able to travel to other countries, opening up new venues for cosmopolitan explorations, but it was also a time that made open, frank discussions of national identity possible. In his continuing scholarly research, as well as his work as the rector of Tartu University and as a member of the Estonian parliament, he took advantage of the opportunity to explore ideas about Estonian memory and identity in the final decades of his life.

Keywords

Peeter Tulviste sociocultural psychology Estonia Luria Vygotsky

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Cosmopolitan patriot: The life and scholarship of Peeter Tulviste (1945–2017)

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