A contribution to discussions of agency and change from the perspective of cultural-historical activity theory consists of findings on transformative agency by double stimulation (TADS). Aspects of these discussions revolve around the hidden, unrecognized and often suppressed power of hybrid coalitions coming together contribute to making a more just and sustainable world. This chapter presents a theoretical argument supported by empirical examples showing that TADS is intrinsically a power-sensitive conceptualization of agency. The chapter engages in dialogue with and expands on the proposition of power in the sociology of real utopias, arguing that, despite the strong dialectical and progressive stance it adopts, this perspective is still predominantly based on accounts and critiques of how power is played out. A chronological account of two subsequent studies on eradicating homelessness helps construct an expanded proposition in which TADS can serve a key generating and mediating function of power.

This chapter expands discussion of how to promote transformative agency by double stimulation during a Change Laboratory intervention. The intervention was conducted in an agroecological association, geared toward environmental preservation and social inclusion by strengthening family farming and developing agroforestry systems. The chapter analyzes how motives, movement, and mediation interact in the formation of transformative agency. The results show that through double stimulation, participants transformed the way they understood the origin of their problems. The intervention created a space for reflection in which, with the support of auxiliary instruments, the participants were able to produce a transformative movement, analyzing and understanding the structure of their activity, identifying conflicts of motives, and building a new orientation for the future of the activity. This intervention led to a novel concept of the coordination of the association based on the principle of shared responsibilities, as well as to the construction of a proposal to develop the organization.

This is a study of transformative agency in a formative intervention supporting homelessness workers to cultivate successful innovations presented by their colleagues in five workshops. Transformative agency emerges when mediational means are put into use to solve paralyzing conflicts of motives. The study builds on an activity-theoretical framework merging innovation-related and transformative agency by double stimulation approaches. A qualitative method was specifically created for this study to categorize what we call umbrella innovations and their components as sub- and standalone innovations. The analysis shows that the innovations were linked together to serve as second stimuli, which provided a joint platform for solving conflicts of motives and for expansive peer-learning. The presentations of the innovations during the workshops enabled fruitful movement from limiting situations to future-oriented transformation processes. The expansive peer-learning process pushed the transformative agency formation forward by generating dialogue between participants through questioning and re-defining central issues.