Nietzsche has written: “A concept is an invention to which nothing exactly corresponds, but which many things resemble” (Posthumous Fragments). Thus the meaning of a concept is neither absolute nor univocal.  It varies according to culture, context, personal experience and other factors. From this situation comes the importance of assuring understandings, and, insofar as possible, avoiding ambiguities, if not misunderstandings, among different people discussing the same realities.

In 2012, Peter Seixas and Tom Morton published The Big Six Historical Thinking Concepts / Les six concepts de la pensée historique.  Their overarching goal was to clarify basic elements of historical thinking, in order to inform the teaching and learning of history.  But the problem is complex.  This presentation will draw attention to the variety of meanings emerging from some of the historical thinking concepts found in The Big Six, in order to deepen and clarify our comprehension of the nature and learning of historical thinking.

Christian Laville is Professor Emeritus of Université Laval. His research has focused on the social function of history education, on the theory and practice of history textbooks, and on the obstacles to learning how to think historically. Professor Laville was a major contributor to recent, controversial revisions of the Quebec history curriculum, and is author or co-author of numerous publications, including textbooks on the history of Quebec and Canada, Western and World history, and on research methodologies in the social sciences.