ABSTRACT
The old view of cognition as something that takes place only in the head has been replaced by a view that recognises the roles played by physical and social structures. Activity theory places great emphasis on the historical and cultural foundation of thought and artefacts and would therefore seem an ideal place to find the kind of analysis sought for. Towards the beginning of the seventies Robert starts to experiment with Chinese food in an attempt to recreate some of his favourite restaurant meals. In 1979 Robert and his family move from Sweden to England. An extended period followed in which they lived in a succession of more temporary settings: a van, a trailer, a couple of rented apartments. The temporary solution, as so often is the case, turned out to be less temporary than initially expected.
