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

    Von der Herrschaft der Technik zum Parlament der Dinge: Ein Deutungsversuch

    Voller, C. & Schnödl, G., 2016, In: Internationales Jahrbuch für Medienphilosophie. 2, 1, p. 159-182 25 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Mediengenealogie: Zurück in die Gegenwart digitaler Kulturen

    Apprich, C. & Bachmann, G., 2017, Digitalisierung: Theorien und Konzepte für die empirische Kulturforschung. Koch, G. (ed.). Konstanz, München: UVK Verlagsgesellschaft mbH, p. 405-426 22 p.

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

  3. Published

    Einleitung

    Pias, C. & Rieger, S., 02.2016, Vollstes Verständnis: Utopien der Kommunikation. Pias, C. & Rieger, S. (eds.). 1 ed. Berlin / Zürich: Diaphanes Verlag, p. 7-13 7 p.

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

  4. Published

    Vollstes Verständnis: Utopien der Kommunikation

    Pias, C. (Editor) & Rieger, S. (Editor), 02.2016, 1 ed. Berlin / Zürich: Diaphanes Verlag. 208 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  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

    Szintetikus történelem

    Pias, C., 16.11.2015, In: Tiszataj. 4, p. 83-92 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Friedrich Kittler und der »Mißbrauch von Heeresgerät«: Zur Situation eines Denkbildes 1964 – 1984 – 2014

    Pias, C., 04.2015, In: Merkur. 69, 791, p. 31-34 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. 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

  9. Published

    Collectives, Connectives, and the ‘Nonsense1 of Participation

    Pias, C., 02.2016, ReClaiming participation: technology - mediation - collectivity . Denecke, M., Ganzert, A., Stock, R. & Otto, I. (eds.). Bielefeld: transcript Verlag, p. 23-38 17 p.

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

  10. Published

    Die Zeit die aus der Kälte kam

    Pias, C., 05.12.2015, Exploring Cybernetics : Kybernetik im interdisziplinären Diskurs. Jeschke, S., Schmitt, R. & Dröge, A. (eds.). Wiesbaden: Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden, p. 227-236 10 p.

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