This special issue arose from an event sponsored by the special interest group for cultural-historical activity theory during the 2001 American Educational Research Association (AERA) meeting in Seattle, WA. Although the theme was very open, all the papers turned in at the event dealt with a core issue of activity theory. The introduction to this issue claims that as a community we have come a considerable way in making activity theory less of a secret than it was 10 years ago. This is followed by three articles that deal with contradictions and change that arise from participation in educational activity systems. All three papers are complementary, contributing to the overall question of changing identities in changing communities as a result of praxis.