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. Published

    Relationen der Auflösung sind Relationen der Konstituierung – zur Individuation und zum Verhältnis von Transindividuellem und Interindividuellem nach Gilbert Simondon

    Leistert, O., 2019, Zersetzung: Automatismen und Strukturauflösung. Eke, N. O. & Hohlweck, P. (eds.). Paderborn: Wilhelm Fink Verlag, p. 155-169 15 p. (Schriftenreihe des Graduiertenkollegs "Automatismen").

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

  2. Published

    The Mushroom at the End of the World: On the Possibilities of Life in Capitalist Ruins

    Conrad, L., 04.2021, In: Management Learning. 52, 2, p. 255-259 5 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsCritical reviewsResearch

  3. Published

    Digitale Verteilungskämpfe, digitale Zäune und digitale Schlupflöcher

    Leistert, O., 2007, Herrschaftsverhältnisse und Herrschaftsdiskurse: Essays zur dekonstruktivistischen Herausforderung kritischer Gesellschaftstheorie. Weiss, V. & Speck, S. (eds.). Berlin: LIT Verlag, p. 144-157 14 p. (Villigst Profile; vol. 9).

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

  4. Published

    The iPhone’s Failure—Protests and Resistances

    Leistert, O., 2012, Moving Data: The iPhone and the Future of Media. Snickars, P. & Vonderau, P. (eds.). USA/ Vereinigten Staaten: Columbia University Press, p. 238-248 11 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapter

  5. Published

    From Social Data to Body Data to Psy Data: Tap, Tap, Tap

    Leistert, O., 2020, Affective Transformations : Politics-Algorithms-Media. Bösel, B. & Wiemer, S. (eds.). Lüneburg: meson press, p. 73-85 12 p.

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

  6. Published

    Segment Introduction

    Nigro, R. & Hörl, E., 01.10.2021, Taking Sides: Theories, Practices, and Cultures of Participation in Dissent. Bippus, E., Ganzert, A. & Otto, I. (eds.). 1 ed. Bielefeld: transcript Verlag, Vol. 28. p. 251-257 7 p. (Culture & theory; vol. 211).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksOtherResearch

  7. Published

    Becoming-Environmental: Toward a Critique of Environmentality as Power-Form, World-Form, and Capital-Form

    Hörl, E., 2020, Hybrid Ecologies. Witzgall, S., Kesting, M., Muhle, M. & Nachtigall, J. (eds.). Zürich: Diaphanes Verlag, p. 197-208 12 p.

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

  8. Published

    Critique of Environmentality: On the World-Wide Axiomatics of Environmentalitarian Time

    Hörl, E., 2021, Critique and the Digital. Hörl, E., Pinkrah, N. & Warnsholdt, L. (eds.). Zürich: Diaphanes Verlag, p. 109-146 38 p. (Critical Stances).

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

  9. Published

    The Instrument

    Großmann, R., 2021, The Bloomsbury Handbook of the Anthropology of Sound. Schulze, H. (ed.). 1 ed. New York: Bloomsbury Academic, p. 59-76 18 p. 3

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

  10. Published

    »HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN SAMPLES«: Beat-Bildung, Zeit-Maschinen und Phonographizität zweiter Ordnung

    Pelleter, M., 11.10.2022, HipHop im 21. Jahrhundert: Medialität, Tradierung, Gesellschaftskritik und Bildungsaspekte einer (Jugend-)Kultur. Wilke, T. & Rappe, M. (eds.). Wiesbaden: Springer, p. 331-346 16 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapter