Institute of Culture and Aesthetics of Digital Media

Organisational unit: Institute

Organisation profile

The ICAM researches the conditions, effects and aesthetics of digital media in connection with processes of culturalization, the technologization of social and economic relations, and the generation and archiving of knowledge. Our studies reflect on how (digital) media always also contribute to shaping the signs and objects they store, transmit or process in a specific way. At the same time, we are interested in how certain cultural techniques contribute to shaping the usage and areas of application of digital media.

Researchers at the ICAM explore the cultural and technological history of digital media—from cybernetics and the beginnings of the computer all the way to present-day network technologies, from textual and acoustic to visual forms of media representation, and from the classics to current concepts of media theory formation.

Main research areas

The ICAM researches the conditions, effects and aesthetics of digital media in connection with processes of culturalization, the technologization of social and economic relations, and the generation and archiving of knowledge. Our studies reflect on how (digital) media always also contribute to shaping the signs and objects they store, transmit or process in a specific way. At the same time, we are interested in how certain cultural techniques contribute to shaping the usage and areas of application of digital media.

In the different core areas researchers at the ICAM explore the cultural and technological history of digital media—from cybernetics and the beginnings of the computer all the way to present-day network technologies, from textual and acoustic to visual forms of media representation, and from the classics to current concepts of media theory formation. 

The ICAM maintains close institutional contact and cooperates with the Leuphana, e.g., the Moving Image Lab of the Innovation Incubator, the Leuphana College, the Leuphana Arts Program and the Leuphana Graduate School. Furthermore, the ICAM is responsible for the Audio and Video Labs of the Computer and Media Center of Leuphana. 

  1. 2017
  2. Published

    Introduction to General Ecology: The Ecologization of Thinking

    Hörl, E. H. & Schott, N. F. (Translator), 05.2017, General Ecology: The New Ecological Paradigm. Hörl, E. & Burton, J. (eds.). London: Bloomsbury Academic, p. 1 – 75 75 p. (Theory).

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

  3. Published

    Media Genealogy: Back to the Present of Digital Cultures

    Apprich, C. & Bachmann, G., 23.06.2017, Digitisation: Theories and Concepts for Empirical Cultural Research. Koch, G. (ed.). London: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, p. 293 - 306 14 p.

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

  4. Published

    “Es ist die Medientheorie avant la lettre, die sich in der Legende vom sterbenden Boten verbirgt"

    Krämer, S., 07.2017, Zur Genealogie des MedienDenkens. Irrgang, D. & Hadler, F. (eds.). Berlin: Kulturverlag Kadmos , p. 255-278 24 p.

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

  5. Published

    „Das scheint mir das Widersprüchliche in der Kybernetik zu sein: Im gleichen Atemzug mit einer De-Anthropologisierung wird ein neuer Humanismus gefeiert.“

    Pias, C., 10.07.2017, Eine Genealogie des MedienDenkens: Siegfried Zielinski im Gespräch mit: Hans Belting, Knut Ebeling, Thomas Elsaesser, Wolfgang Ernst, VALIE EXPORT, Boris Groys, Sybille Krämer, Geert Lovink, Joachim Paech, Claus Pias, Hans Ulrich Reck, Hans-Jörg Rheinberger, Nils Röller, Otto Rössler, Florian Rötzer, Elisabeth von Samsonow, Henning Schmidgen, Peter Weibel und Hartmut Winkler.. Hadler, F. & Irrgang, D. (eds.). Berlin: Kulturverlag Kadmos , p. 491-520 30 p.

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

  6. Published

    Phantasmen. Quelques fleurs

    Schwarzhans, W. & Bösenberg, E. S., 10.07.2017, (Mit) Pflanzen kartographieren. Loreck, H., Klier, A. & Lindeborg, S. (eds.). Hamburg: Materialverlag-HFBK Hamburg, p. 84-87 4 p.

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

  7. Published

    Végétal Cristalline

    Bösenberg, E. S., 10.07.2017, (Mit) Pflanzen kartographieren. Loreck, H., A. K. & Lindeborg, S. (eds.). Hamburg: Materialverlag-HFBK Hamburg, p. 148-151 4 p.

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

  8. Published

    Bats in the Belfry: On the Relationship of Cybernetics and German Media Theory

    Müggenburg, J. K., 28.07.2017, In: Canadian Journal of Communication. 42, 3, p. 467 – 484 18 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Train Ticket Sharing: Alternative Forms of Computing in the City

    Bialski, P., 31.07.2017, In: The Fibreculture Journal. 29, p. 115-128 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Epistemic Dependence and Trust: On witnessing in the first, second and third-person perspectives

    Krämer, S., 08.2017, Testimony/Bearing Witness: Epistemology, Ethics, History and Culture. Krämer, S. & Weigel, S. (eds.). London: Rowman & Littlefield International, p. 247-259 13 p.

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

  11. Published

    "Technisches Leben": Simondons Denken des Lebendigen und die allgemeine Ökologie

    Hörl, E. H., 08.2017, Black Box Leben. Muhle, M. & Voss, C. (eds.). Berlin: August Verlag, p. 239-266 27 p. (Schriften des Internationalen Kollegs für Kulturtechnikforschung und Medienphilosophie; vol. 28).

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