Aims to ascertain whether Engestro?m?s activity theory and its principle of contradictions is a sufficiently versatile and insightful lens to investigate non-participation of OER contribution. Activity theory was found to be useful for framing the literature and three interviews with University of Cape Town (UCT) academics and for surfacing some of the constraints in the system. An Activity Theory Approach. E-Learning and Digital Media, 10(2), 148?160.