Centre for Digital Cultures

Organisational unit: Institute

Organisation profile

Contemporary culture is characterized by the ubiquity of digital media technologies and infrastructures, which are constantly configuring our techniques for processing, storing, and transmitting data. As a result, our everyday practices of connecting, relating, reading, writing, perceiving, sharing, competing, and communicating are undergoing significant changes. At the same time, these technologies are closely tied to major societal challenges such as climate change, global conflicts, digital divides and social unjustness. In this dynamic context, the Centre for Digital Cultures (CDC) directly addresses the emergence of new and complex qualities of vernacular socio-technical life. This involves the development of advanced theory and innovative study programmes. We are concerned with the question of how we can understand and shape digital cultures today​​​​​​​.

Main research areas

The digital shift re-shapes the cultural sectors, and, indeed, everyday life, politics, law, and economics. the Centre for Digital Cultures (CDC), affiliated to Leuphana University of Lüneburg, examines this shift through a range of interdisciplinary methodologies, including media, cultural and social studies, through knowledge creation and transfer, as well as by developing experimental and interventionist media practices. Established in 2012, as one of the first research centres in Europe to research the emergence of digital cultures, the CDC continues to produce cutting-edge research on socio-technical regimes of inclusion and exclusion. Since its inception, the CDC has built an innovative network and research environment, where academic institutions, practitioners, and civil society stakeholders engage with new concepts, formats, and applications within digital cultures.

Current Research Areas

  • Climate Futures
  • (B)Orders, Identities and Belonging in the Digital Age
  • Cities, Infrastructures, Logistics, Platforms 
  1. Published

    Réfléxivité et Système. Le débat sur l'ordre et L'auto-organisation dans les années 1970

    Hörl, E. H. (Editor) & Esposito, E. (Editor), 2015, Paris: Fondation Maison des sciences de l'homme. (Trivium - Deutsch-französische Zeitschrift für Geistes- und Sozialwissenschaften; vol. 20/2015)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesSpecial Journal issueResearch

  2. Published

    Refugee Recognition Regime. Country Profile: Niger

    Lambert, L., 2023, Berlin/Oxford, (RefMig Working Paper ; no. 8).

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  3. Published

    Refugee Recognition Regime. Country Profile: Niger (in French)

    Lambert, L., 2023, (RefMig Working Paper ; no. 8).

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  4. Published

    Reglementierte Fragilität und performende Unschärferäume

    Leeker, M., 31.12.2022, Doing Research - Wissenschaftspraktiken zwischen Positionierung und Suchanfrage. Hofhues, S. & Schütze, K. (eds.). transcript Verlag, p. 224-237 14 p. (Science Studies).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapter

  5. Published

    Relationale Sozialtheorie und die Materialität des Sozialen 'Kontaktmedien' als Vermittlungsinstanz zwischen Infrastruktur und Lebenswelt

    Traue, B. C., 2017, In: Soziale Welt. 68, 2-3, p. 243-260 18 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Relationen im Raum: Visualisierung topographischer Klein(st)strukturen

    Hüttenmeister, N., Kollatz, T., Rütenik, T., Warnke, M., Wedemeyer, C. & Ziai, T., 2013, In: Kalonymos. 16, 4, p. 4-6 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  7. Published

    Remaking Media Practices: From Tactical Media to Post-Media

    Apprich, C., 2013, Provocative Alloys: A Post-Media Anthology. Apprich, C., Berry Slater, J., Iles, A. & Schultz, O. L. (eds.). London: Mute Books, p. 122-140 19 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Remote Control: Algorithmic Management of Circulation at Amazon

    Beverungen, A., 2021, Explorations in Digital Cultures. Burkhardt, M., Shnayien, M. & Grashöfer, K. (eds.). Lüneburg: meson press, 18 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Repositionierungen: Von Machtverschiebungen im Kapitalismus und Feminismus

    Bunz, M., 2013, In: Femina Politica. 21, 2, p. 161-162 2 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  10. Published

    Resonanz-Bild und ikonische Politik: Eine visuelle Diskursanalyse partizipativer Propaganda

    Traue, B. C., 2014, Hillarys Hand: Zur politischen Ikonographie der Gegenwart. Kauppert, M. & Leser, I. (eds.). Bielefeld: transcript Verlag, p. 131-156 26 p. (Kulturen der Gesellschaft; vol. 11).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearchpeer-review