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

    Soziale Medien: Neue Massen

    Baxmann, I. (Editor), Beyes, T. (Editor) & Pias, C. (Editor), 01.09.2014, Zürich: Diaphanes Verlag. 368 p. (Medienwissenschaftliche Symposien der DFG)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  2. Published

    Herausforderungen und Potenziale von Online-Medien für die qualitative Forschung: Eine Einführung

    Schirmer, D., Sander, N. & Wenninger, A., 2015, Die qualitative Analyse internetbasierter Daten: Methodische Herausforderungen und Potenziale von Online-Medien. Schirmer, D., Sander, N. & Wenninger, A. (eds.). Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, p. 7-32 26 p.

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

  3. Published

    Mediatisierte Online-Kommunikation: Forschungspraktische Verwobenheit von Medientechnologie, Erhebungssituation und kontextsensitivem Auswertungsverfahren

    Sander, N. & Schulz, M., 2014, Die qualitative Analyse internetbasierter Daten: Methodische Herausforderungen und Potenziale von Online-Medien. Schirmer, D., Sander, N. & Wenninger, A. (eds.). Wiesbaden: Springer VS, p. 161-198 38 p.

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

  4. Published

    Die qualitative Analyse internetbasierter Daten: Methodische Herausforderungen und Potenziale von Online-Medien

    Schirmer, D. (Editor), Sander, N. (Editor) & Wenninger, A. (Editor), 2014, Wiesbaden: Springer VS. 284 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  5. Published

    Rethinking Gamification

    Fuchs, M. (Editor), Fizek, S. (Editor), Ruffino, P. (Editor) & Schrape, N. (Editor), 16.06.2014, Lüneburg: meson press. 344 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  6. Published

    From the open road to the high seas? Piracy, damnation and resistance in academic consumption of publishing

    Beverungen, A., Böhm, S. & Land, C., 09.2013, In: Prometheus: Critical Studies in Innovation. 31, 3, p. 241-247 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Computersimulation

    Vehlken, S., Schrickel, I. & Pias, C., 2015, Futurologien: Ein Glossar des Zukunftswissens. Bühler, B. & Willer, S. (eds.). 1 ed. München: Wilhelm Fink Verlag, p. 181-192 12 p. (TRAJEKTE - Eine Reihe des Zentrums für Literatur- und Kulturforschung Berlin).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticles for encyclopediaResearch

  8. Published

    Von der Performance mit Musik zur Performanz rückgekoppelter Maschinengeräusche: Töne, Klänge und Geräusche in Installationen und Performances in den achtziger Jahren und um 2000

    Leeker, M., 2006, Reflexzonen, Migration. Brüstle, C. & Rebstock, M. (eds.). 1 ed. Saarbrücken: Pfau Verlag, p. 165-177 13 p. (Musik im Dialog; vol. 6)(Jahrbuch der Berliner Gesellschaft für Neue Musik; vol. 2003/2004).

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

  9. Published

    MOOC: Zukunft der Bildung oder Robo-Uni?

    Heise, C., Kießl, M., Kral, C. & Peters, H., 12.04.2014, Jahrbuch Netzpolitik 2013. Beckedahl, M. (ed.). 1 ed. Berlin: newthinking communications, Berlin, p. 153-172 20 p.

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

  10. Published

    Wissenschaftliche Kommunikation im Netz 2013: Von Open Access zu Open Science

    Heise, C., 12.04.2014, Jahrbuch Netzpolitik 2013. Beckedahl, M. (ed.). 1 ed. Berlin: newthinking communications, Berlin, p. 142-152 11 p.

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