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

    Ästhetik des Digitalen: Das Digitale und die Berechenbarkeit

    Warnke, M., 2014, In: Zeitschrift für Ästhetik und Allgemeine Kunstwissenschaft . 59, 2, p. 278-286 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Assistierte Kommunikation aus medienarchäologischer und biographischer Perspektive

    Müggenburg, J. & Wagenknecht, A., 24.04.2025, Dis/Ability und digitale Medien: Interdisziplinäre Perspektiven auf Technologien, Praktiken und Zugänglichkeiten. Stock, R., Meier zu Verl, C., Şahinol, M., Spöhrer, M., Volmar, A., Wagenknecht, A. & Wiechern, A.-L. (eds.). Wiesbaden: Springer VS, p. 95-119 25 p. (Technikzukünfte, Wissenschaft und Gesellschaft / Futures of Technology, Science and Society).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  3. Published

    Assistenz für wen? Autonomes Fahren zwischen Norm und Variabilität

    Stock, R. & Müggenburg, J., 20.10.2021, Autonome Autos: Medien- und kulturwissenschaftliche Perspektiven auf die Zukunft der Mobilität. Sprenger, F. (ed.). Bielefeld: transcript Verlag, p. 339-358 20 p. (Digitale Gesellschaft; vol. 32).

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

  4. Published

    Assistenz

    Müggenburg, J. K., 2020, Technikanthropologie: Handbuch für Wissenschaft und Studium. Heßler, M. & Liggieri, K. (eds.). Baden-Baden: Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft, p. 411-415 5 p.

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

  5. Published

    A Single Swing of the Shovel: Former West Proxies

    Levin, B. & Tollmann, V., 2016, Former West: Art and the Contemporary after 1989. Hlavajova, M. & Sheikh, S. (eds.). Cambridge MA: The MIT Press, p. 519-534 16 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  6. Published

    Artificial Intelligence as a cultural technique

    Krämer, S. & Schröter, J., 22.11.2023, Beyond Quantity: Research with Subsymbolic AI. Sudmann, A., Echterhölter, A., Ramsauer, M., Retkowski, F., Schröter, J. & Waibel, A. (eds.). transcript Verlag, p. 333-352 20 p. (KI-Kritik ; vol. 6).

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

  7. Published

    Art, Aesthetics and Organization

    Beyes, T., 26.08.2016, A Research Agenda for Management and Organization Studies. Czarniawska, B. (ed.). 1 ed. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing, p. 115-125 11 p. (Elgar research agendas).

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

  8. Published

    Arrival of a Kitty: history and theory of the first computer simulation of a living being

    Konstantinow, N. N., Velminski, W. (Editor), Warnke, M. (Editor) & McAleer, K. (Translator), 06.2022, Berlin: ciconia ciconia Verlag. 139 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesBook

  9. Published

    Arne Till Bense, Musik und Virtualität: Digitale Virtualität im Kontext computerbasierter Musikproduktion

    Großmann, R., 2015, In: Die Musikforschung. 68, 3, p. 330-332 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsCritical reviewsResearch

  10. Published

    Arkestrated Rhythmachine Komplexities: Machinic Geisterstunde and Post-Soul Persistencies

    ARK - Arkestrated Rhythmachine Complexities & Pelleter, M., 2019, CTM 2019 Persistence Magazine. Rohlf, J., Garlid, A., Replansky, T., Zhang, O., Borsche, D. & Hofbauer, A. L. (eds.). Berlin: DISK – Initiative Bild & Ton e.V., p. 62-67 6 p.

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