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. 2008
  2. Published

    Körperpraktiken und Selbsttechnologien in einer Medienkultur: zur gesellschaftstheoretischen Fundierung aktueller Fernsehanalyse

    Thomas, T., 2008, Medienkultur und soziales Handeln. Thomas, T. (ed.). 1 ed. Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, p. 219-237 19 p. (Medien - Kultur - Kommunikation).

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

  3. Published

    Krieg in der Zivilgesellschaft

    Spreen, D., 2008, In: Erwägen, Wissen, Ethik. 19, 1, p. 112-115 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  4. Published

    Krieg in der Zivilgesellschaft: Zur Problematik der Rede vom permanenten Ausnahmezustand

    Spreen, D., 2008, In: Ästhetik & Kommunikation. 39, 140/141, p. 199-208 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  5. Published

    Kulturelle Funktionen der Science Fiction

    Spreen, D., 2008, Technik und Gesellschaft in der Science Fiction. Fuhse, J. A. (ed.). Berlin: LIT Verlag, p. 19-33 14 p. (Kultur und Technik; vol. 9).

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

  6. Published

    Kulturinformatik: Schriften 1997 bis 2007 [kumulative Habilitation]

    Warnke, M., 2008, Lüneburg: Leuphana Universität Lüneburg. 466 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesPost-doctoral dissertations

  7. Published

    Leben nach Wahl? Zur medialen Inszenierung von Lebensführung und Anerkennung

    Thomas, T., 2008, Medien - Diversität - Ungleichheit: zur medialen Konstruktion sozialer Differenz. Wischermann, U. & Thomas, T. (eds.). Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, p. 225-243 19 p. ( Medien - Kultur - Kommunikation).

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

  8. Published

    Literatur und Wissenschaft: Unterscheidung/Vermittlung/Verortung/Übersetzung; Vorlesung an der Universität Timişoara im Sommersemester 2008 und Wintersemester 2008/09

    Schnödl, G., 2008, Timişoara: Editura Universitatii de Vest (=Universitätsverlag der West-Universität Timisoara. 141 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearch

  9. Published
  10. Published

    Marktlogiken in Lifestyle-TV und Lebensführung: Herausforderungen einer gesellschaftskritischen Medienanalyse

    Thomas, T., 2008, Neoliberalismus: Analysen und Alternativen. Butterwegge, C. (ed.). Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, p. 147-163 17 p.

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

  11. Published

    Medien - Diversität - Ungleichheit: zur medialen Konstruktion sozialer Differenz

    Wischermann, U. (Editor) & Thomas, T. (Editor), 2008, 1. ed. Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften. 284 p. (Medien - Kultur - Kommunikation)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch