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. 2016
  2. Published

    Die (Psycho-)Macht des Therapeutischen und die Optionalisierung des Handelns

    Traue, B. C., 01.2016, Handbuch Therapeutisierung und Soziale Arbeit. Anhorn, R. & Balzereit, M. (eds.). Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, p. 249-261 13 p. (Perspektiven kritischer Sozialer Arbeit; vol. 23).

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

  3. Published

    Das Diktat der Fruchtbarkeit

    Bernard, A., 2016, Fortpflanzungsmedizin in Deutschland: Entwicklungen, Fragen, Kontroversen. Woopen, C. (ed.). Bonn: Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung, p. 11-19 9 p.

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

  4. Published

    Das totale Archiv: Zur Funktion des Nicht-Wissens in der digitalen Kultur

    Bernard, A., 2016, In: Merkur. 801, 70, p. 5-17 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransferpeer-review

  5. Published

    Die Ökologisierung des Denkens

    Hörl, E. H., 2016, In: Zeitschrift für Medienwissenschaft. 14, 1, p. 33-45 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Friedrich Kittler und der „Mißbrauch von Heeresgerät“: Zur Situation eines Denkbilds 1964 / 1984 / 2014

    Pias, C., 2016, Zweckentfremdung: 'Unsachgemäßer' Gebrauch als kulturelle Praxis. Keller, D. & Dillschnitter, M. (eds.). 1 ed. Parderborn: Wilhelm Fink Verlag, p. 63-80 18 p.

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

  7. Published

    Hacking Crowdfunding: Towards A New Commons

    Ridgway, R., 2016, Hacking Habitat: Art of Control. Art, technology and social change. Gevers, I. (ed.). Rotterdam: nai010 Publishers, p. 98 - 112 15 p. 9

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

  8. Published

    Introduction: Why does management education need reinventing?

    Beyes, T., Parker, M. & Steyaert, C., 2016, The Routledge Companion to Reinventing Management Education. Steyaert, C., Beyes, T. & Parker, M. (eds.). 1 ed. London: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, p. 1-20 20 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  9. Published

    Kultursoziologie in Großbritannien

    Traue, B. C., 2016, Handbuch der Kultursoziologie: Band 1: Begriffe – Kontexte – Perspektiven – Autor_innen. Moebius, S., Nungesser, F. & Scherke, K. (eds.). Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, Vol. 1. p. 123-139 16 p. ( Springer Reference Sozialwissenschaften).

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

  10. Published

    Mobilizing Memes: The Contagious Socio-Aesthetics of Participation

    Simons, S., 2016, ReClaiming Participation: Technology – Mediation – Collectivity. Mathias, D., Anne, G., Otto, I. & Stock, R. (eds.). Bielefeld: transcript Verlag, p. 231–245 15 p. (Media Studies).

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

  11. Published

    Ökologien des Machens: Zur allgemein-ökologischen Kritik der Welterzeugung bei Tim Ingold

    Hörl, E. H., 2016, +ultra. gestaltung schafft wissen. Doll, N., Bredekamp, H. & Schäffner, W. (eds.). 1 ed. Leipzig: E.A. Seemann, p. 49-58 10 p.

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