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

    Wider die Kriegsvergessenheit in der Sozialwissenschaft

    Spreen, D., 2011, In: Ästhetik & Kommunikation. 42, 152-153, p. 33-40 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  2. Published

    Cruelty and Total War: Political-Philosophical Preconditions of the Dissociation Mentality

    Spreen, D., 2011, On Cruelty · Sur la cruauté · Über Grausamkeit. Köln: Rüdiger Köppe Verlag, p. 231-254 23 p. (Siegener Beiträge zur Soziologie; vol. 11).

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

  3. Published

    Entgrenzung der Gewalt: Diskursbedingungen der Dissoziationsmentalität im Kontext des »totalen Krieges«

    Spreen, D., 2012, Medien - Körper - Geschlecht: Diskursivierungen von Materialität ; Festschrift für Hannelore Bublitz. Riegraf, B., Spreen, D. & Mehlmann, S. (eds.). Bielefeld: transcript Verlag, p. 257-284 28 p. (Sozialtheorie).

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

  4. Published

    Krieg und Zivilgesellschaft: Einleitung

    Spreen, D. & von Trotha, T., 2012, Krieg und Zivilgesellschaft. Spreen, D. & von Trotha, T. (eds.). Berlin: Duncker & Humblot GmbH, p. 7-32 25 p. (Soziologische Schriften; vol. 84).

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

  5. Published

    Weltzivilgesellschaft und Gewalt: Ordnungskonstitutive Gewalt im Zeitalter des globalen Politischen

    Spreen, D., 2012, Krieg und Zivilgesellschaft. Spreen, D. & von Trotha, T. (eds.). Berlin: Duncker & Humblot GmbH, p. 33-95 62 p. (Soziologische Schriften; vol. 84).

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

  6. Published

    Weltmilitär

    Spreen, D., 2012, Die Reform der Bundeswehr: Von Menschen für Menschen. Buch, D. (ed.). Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang Verlag, p. 51-60 9 p.

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

  7. Published

    Die politisch-normativen Strukturen globaler Sicherheit und Probleme der Kommunikation ordnungskonstitutiver militärischer Gewalt

    Spreen, D., 2011, Den Krieg erklären: Sicherheitspolitik als Problem der Kommunikation. Zowislo-Grünewald, N. & Schulz, J. (eds.). Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang Verlag, p. 17-36 19 p.

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

  8. Published

    Jugend und gewalthaltige Massenkultur: Zur Soziologie der Unterhaltung und der Sozialisationsfunktion der Medien

    Spreen, D., 2012, Wissen sie, was sie tun? : Zur filmischen Inszenierung jugendlicher Gewalt. Herrmann, J., Metelmann, J. & Schwandt, H.-G. (eds.). Marburg: Schüren Verlag, p. 16-48 32 p.

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

  9. Published

    Cyborgs und andere Techno-Körper: Ein Essay im Grenzbereich von Bios und Techne

    Spreen, D., 2000, 2. ed. Passau: Erster Deutscher Fantasy Club. 184 p. (Sekundärliterarische Reihe; vol. 27)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Tausch, Technik, Krieg: Die Geburt der Gesellschaft im technisch-medialen Apriori

    Spreen, D., 1998, Berlin: Argument Verlag. 199 p. (Argument-Sonderband; vol. N.F. 261)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearchpeer-review

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