Le film pour penser l'histoire. Quelques pistes à partir de la sémio-pragmatique de Peirce.

Abstract

How can we use documentary films in teaching history ? This article proposes to think the film medium with Peirce’s pragmatic semiology. Peirce’s pragmatics opens on the plurality of interpretants, depending on the specific situation of communi-cation. The distinction between iconic and index signs helps to analyse different types of images : historical sources, reconstructions, and even purely fictional representations. The relation of fiction to history will also be questioned : can also a fiction film be useful in teaching history ?

How can we use documentary films in teaching history ? This article proposes to think the film medium with Peirce’s pragmatic semiology. Peirce’s pragmatics opens on the plurality of interpretants, depending on the specific situation of communi-cation. The distinction between iconic and index signs helps to analyse different types of images : historical sources, reconstructions, and even purely fictional representations. The relation of fiction to history will also be questioned : can also a fiction film be useful in teaching history ?