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

    Verunsicherungen als Forschungs- und Lehrkonzept

    Hennig, I., Kruse, M.-M., Hobuß, S. & Thomas, T., 2011, Dekonstruktion und Evidenz: Ver(un)sicherungen in Medienkulturen. Thomas, T., Hobuß, S., Hennig, I. & Kruse, M.-M. (eds.). Königstein/Taunus: Ulrike Helmer Verlag, p. 8-21

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

  2. Published

    Poststrukturalistische Kritik als Praxis von Grenzüberschreitungen

    Thomas, T., 2011, Dekonstruktion und Evidenz: Ver(un)sicherungen in Medienkulturen. Thomas, T., Hobuß, S., Hennig, I. & Kruse, M.-M. (eds.). Königstein/Taunus: Ulrike Helmer Verlag, p. 22-42 21 p.

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

  3. Published

    Wissensordnungen im Alltag: Offerten eines populären Genres

    Thomas, T., 2010, Medien im Alltag – Alltag in den Medien. Röser, J., Thomas, T. & Peil, C. (eds.). Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, p. 25-47 23 p. (Medien - Kultur - Kommunikation).

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

  4. Published

    Intellektuelle und Kritik in Medienkulturen

    Thomas, T., 2010, Die Mediatisierung der Alltagswelt. Hartmann, M. & Hepp, A. (eds.). Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, p. 255-272 28 p. (Medien - Kultur - Kommunikation).

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

  5. Published

    Medien, Krieg, Geschlecht: Anstöße zur Diskussion spannungsgeladener Relationen

    Thiele, M., Thomas, T. & Virchow, F., 2010, Medien – Krieg – Geschlecht: Affirmationen und Irritationen sozialer Ordnungen. Thiele, M., Thomas, T. & Virchow, F. (eds.). Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, p. 9-18 10 p. (Medien - Kultur - Kommunikation).

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

  6. Published

    Medien, Krieg, Geschlecht: Dimensionen eines Zusammenhangs

    Virchow, F., Thomas, T. & Thiele, M., 2010, Medien – Krieg – Geschlecht: Affirmationen und Irritationen sozialer Ordnungen. Thiele, M., Thomas, T. & Virchow, F. (eds.). Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, p. 19-44 26 p. (Medien - Kultur - Kommunikation).

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

  7. Published

    ‚Suicidal Attacks’ und ihre medialen Repräsentationen: Geschlechtertheoretische Überlegungen und Befunde

    Thomas, T. & Virchow, F., 2010, Medien – Krieg – Geschlecht: Affirmationen und Irritationen sozialer Ordnungen. Thiele, M., Thomas, T. & Virchow, F. (eds.). Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, p. 235-256 22 p. (Medien - Kultur - Kommunikation).

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

  8. Published

    Lifestyle-TV – Critical Attitudes towards „Banal” Programming

    Thomas, T., 2010, Trans-reality television. The transgression of reality, genre, politics and audience in Reality TV. Van Bauwel, S. & Carpentier, N. (eds.). Lexington (MA): Lexington Books, p. 275-296 22 p.

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

  9. Published

    Perspektiven kritischer Medienkulturtheorie und -analyse: Aktuelle Herausforderungen und theoretische Potentiale

    Thomas, T., 2010, Medienkultur im Wandel. Hepp, A., Höhn, M. & Wimmer, J. (eds.). UVK Verlagsgesellschaft mbH, p. 73-89 17 p. (Schriftenreihe der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Publizistik- und Kommunikationswissenschaft; vol. 37).

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

  10. Published

    Cyberspace Battleground: Kriegsvideos auf You Tube

    Virchow, F. & Thomas, T., 2010, Wahrheitsmaschinen: Der Einfluss technischer Innovationen auf die Darstellung und das Bild des Krieges in den Medien und Künsten. Glunz, C. & Schneider, T. F. (eds.). Göttingen: V&R unipress, p. 107-124 18 p. (Krieg und Literatur / War and Literature - International Yearbook on War and Anti-War Literature. Schriften des Erich Maria Remarque Archivs; vol. 15).

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