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

    Sehr geehrten Damen und Herren Abgeordneten, tun Sie endlich etwas für offene (Verwaltungs-)Daten!

    Heise, C., 12.2014, Jahrbuch Netzpolitik 2014: Fight for your digital rights. Beckedahl, M., Biselli, A. & Meister, A. (eds.). epubli GmbH, p. 157-164 8 p.

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

  2. Published

    Die Enden des Kabels: Kleine Mediengeschichte der Übertragung

    Gethmann, D. & Sprenger, F., 2014, Berlin: Kulturverlag Kadmos . 144 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearch

  3. Published

    Die Kontingenz des Gegebenen: Zur Zeit der Datenkritik

    Sprenger, F., 2014, In: Mediale Kontrolle unter Beobachtung. 3, 1, 20 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Plants, Androids and Operators: A Post-Media Handbook

    Apprich, C. (Editor), Berry Slater, J. (Editor), Iles, A. (Editor) & Schultz, O. L. (Editor), 2014, London: Mute Books. 188 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  5. Published

    The Network Dynamics of Movements

    Apprich, C., 2014, In: spheres - Journal for Digital Cultures. 1, 1, p. 1-4 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsCritical reviewsResearch

  6. Published

    The Clock of the Long-Now: Die Uhr, die Langeweile und der Beobachter

    Sprenger, F., 2008, Paradoxien der Langeweile. Heller, F. (ed.). Marburg: Schüren Verlag, p. 104–116 13 p. (AugenBlick : Konstanzer Hefte zur Medienwissenschaft; no. 41).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearch

  7. Published

    Atomare Hinterlassenschaften: Die strahlende Zukunft des kalten Krieges

    Sprenger, F., 2014, Den Kalten Krieg denken.: Beiträge zur sozialen Ideengeschichte seit 1945.. Bernhard, P. & Nehring, H. (eds.). Essen: Klartext Verlag, p. 337-358 22 p. (Frieden und Krieg; vol. 19).

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

  8. Published

    Massenträgheit: Medien/theorie und Beschleunigung

    Sprenger, F., 2014, Soziale Medien, Neue Massen. Baxmann, I., Beyes, T. & Pias, C. (eds.). Berlin: Diaphanes Verlag, p. 55-74 20 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearch

  9. Published

    "Introduction," communication +1

    Vagt, C. & Sprenger, F., 2014, In: Communication +1. 3, p. 1-4 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsOther (editorial matter etc.)Research

  10. Published

    50 Jahre Understanding Media

    Mangold, J. (Editor) & Sprenger, F. (Editor), 2014, Siegen: Universität-Gesamthhochschule Siegen. 124 p. (Navigationen : Zeitschrift für Medien- und Kulturwissenschaften; vol. 14, no. 2)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesSpecial Journal issueResearch