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

    Trickkisten: Heinz von Foerster und der Zauber der Kybernetik

    Müggenburg, J. K., 2016, Trick 17 : Mediengeschichten zwischen Zauberkunst und Wissenschaft. Vehlken, S., Müller-Helle, K., Müggenburg, J. & Sprenger, F. (eds.). Norderstedt: meson press, p. 59-84 26 p.

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

  2. Published

    Trick 17: Mediengeschichten zwischen Zauberkunst und Wissenschaft

    Vehlken, S. (Editor), Müller-Helle, K. (Editor), Müggenburg, J. K. (Editor) & Sprenger, F. (Editor), 2016, Norderstedt: meson press. 118 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  3. Published

    ReClaiming Participation: Technology - Mediation - Collectivity

    Denecke, M. (Editor), Ganzert, A. (Editor), Otto, I. (Editor) & Stock, R. (Editor), 02.2016, Bielefeld: transcript Verlag. 296 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  4. Published

    Der Delfin als Medium. Formation und Imagination in John C Lillys Kommunikationsexperimenten

    Müggenburg, J. K., 2016, Designing Thinking: Angewandte Imagination und Kreativität um 1960. Mareis, C. (ed.). Paderborn: Wilhelm Fink Verlag, p. 185–212 28 p. (Eikones).

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

  5. Published

    Robot Makes Free: The Leibnizian cryptowar of Norbert Wiener

    Nemenyi, D., 01.04.2023, In: Radical Philosophy. 214, April, p. 3-20 18 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    When Machines Speak to Each Other: Unpacking the “Social” in “Social Media”

    Shah, N., 29.04.2015, In: Social Media and Society. 1, 1, p. 1-3 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Sluts 'r' us: Intersections of gender, protocol and agency in the digital age

    Shah, N., 06.04.2015, In: First Monday. 20, 4, 5463.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    The selfie and the slut bodies, technology and public shame

    Shah, N., 25.04.2015, In: Economic and Political Weekly. 50, 17, p. 86-93 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  9. Published

    Das endlos bewegte Buch

    Pias, C., 2015, Das bewegte Buch: Ein Katalog der gelesenen Bücher; mit 104 Beispielen aus dem Deutschen Literaturarchiv Marbach. D. L. M. (ed.). Marbach: Deutsche Schillergesellschaft e.V., p. 48-67 20 p. (Marbacher Magazin; vol. 150/151/152).

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

  10. Published

    Poetik der Assimilation: Hermann Bahrs Wandelbarkeit und das Wissen der Angleichung um 1900

    Schnödl, G., 2016, Traditionsbrüche: Neue Forschungsansätze zu Hermann Bahr. Bachleitner, N., Kriegleder, W. & Simonek, S. (eds.). Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang Verlag, p. 49-62 14 p. (Wechselwirkungen; no. 19).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsResearchpeer-review