Purposive-Historical Systems Theory: An Emerging (Meta)Theoretical Framework for Second Language Development

Saeed Karimi-Aghdam (PhD in Applied Linguistics) defended his doctoral dissertation entitled “Developing a Metatheoretical Framework for Second Language Development: A Cultural- Historical Theory and Dynamic Systems Theory Perspective” at the University of Jyvaskyla, Finland on 26 June 2017. This article is a slightly revised version of the lectio praecursoria delivered by him before the public defense of his doctoral dissertation. His supervisors were Professors Hannele Dufva and Mika Lahteenmaki, both from the Department of Language and Communication Studies, University of Jyvaskyla and his opponent was Professor James P. Lantolf of the Department of Applied Linguistics and the Center for Language Acquisition, the Pennsylvania State University, USA.