In this chapter I synthesize specific aspects of Vygotskian and Bakhtinian theories that link language, culture, context, and identity (selfhood) – core elements in the journeys of L2 sojourners and, in truth, anyone who interacts across cultures. I then discuss the work of Pierre Bourdieu, exploring his concepts of field, habitus, and capital, which heightened my awareness of the complex relationship between power (resistance and inequality), social context, and linguistic practices.