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. 2017
  2. Published

    “Es ist die Medientheorie avant la lettre, die sich in der Legende vom sterbenden Boten verbirgt"

    Krämer, S., 07.2017, Zur Genealogie des MedienDenkens. Irrgang, D. & Hadler, F. (eds.). Berlin: Kulturverlag Kadmos , p. 255-278 24 p.

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

  3. Published

    Media Genealogy: Back to the Present of Digital Cultures

    Apprich, C. & Bachmann, G., 23.06.2017, Digitisation: Theories and Concepts for Empirical Cultural Research. Koch, G. (ed.). London: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, p. 293 - 306 14 p.

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

  4. Published

    General Ecology: The New Ecological Paradigm

    Hörl, E. H. (Editor), 05.2017, 1 ed. London/New York: Bloomsbury Academic. 384 p. (Theory)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  5. Published

    Introduction to General Ecology: The Ecologization of Thinking

    Hörl, E. H. & Schott, N. F. (Translator), 05.2017, General Ecology: The New Ecological Paradigm. Hörl, E. & Burton, J. (eds.). London: Bloomsbury Academic, p. 1 – 75 75 p. (Theory).

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

  6. Published

    Good Vibrations: Eine Geschichte der elektronischen Musikinstrumente

    Brilmayer, B. (Editor), Hardjowirogo, S.-I. (Editor) & Restle, C. (Editor), 18.04.2017, Berlin: Deutscher Kunstverlag. 168 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesExhibition cataloguesTransfer

  7. Published

    Flattening As Cultural Technique: Epistemic and Aesthetic Functions of Inscribed Surfaces

    Krämer, S., 01.04.2017, In: Journal of the American Musicological Society. 70, 1, p. 239-244 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Performing the Digital: Performativity and Performance Studies in Digital Cultures

    Leeker, M. (Editor), Schipper, I. (Editor) & Beyes, T. (Editor), 01.03.2017, Bielefeld : transcript Verlag. 300 p. (Digitale Gesellschaft; vol. 11)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  9. Published

    Das Blut, das Ich und sein Schatten: Zu den Emblemen einer zirkulären Serialität in Dexter

    Hagen, W., 03.2017, Bis auf Weiteres. Pinnwand und Serie. Engell, L., Maeder, D., Schröter, J. & Wentz, D. (eds.). Marburg: Schüren Verlag, p. 57-64 8 p. (Augen-Blick : Konstanzer Hefte zur Medienwissenschaft; vol. 68).

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

  10. Published

    The Form of Becoming: Embryology and the Epistemology of Rhythm, 1760-1830

    Wellmann, J., 03.2017, New York: Zone Books. 423 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearchpeer-review

  11. Published

    Between Drudgery and "Promesse du bonheur": Games and Gamification

    Fuchs, M., 10.02.2017, New Perspectives on the Social Aspects of Digital Gaming : Multiplayer 2. Kowert, R. & Quandt, T. (eds.). 1 ed. London, New York: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, p. 185-199 15 p. (Routledge advances in game studies).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  12. Published

    Philosophie der Zeugenschaft: Eine Anthologie

    Krämer, S. (Editor), Schmidt, S. (Editor) & Schülein, J.-G., 01.02.2017, Münster: mentis Verlag. 243 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  13. Published

    I Am Not A Hacker

    Bialski, P., 02.2017, Hacks, Leaks, and Breaches. Coleman, E. G. & Kelty, C. M. (eds.). CreateSpace Independent Publishing, Vol. 8. p. 102-106 5 p. (Limn; vol. 8).

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

  14. Published

    Adorno’s Grey, Taussig’s Blue: Colour, organization and critical affect

    Beyes, T. & De Cock, C., 01.01.2017, In: Organization. 24, 1, p. 59-78 20 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  15. Published

    Gamification: Geheimwaffe oder Bullshit?

    Fuchs, M., 01.01.2017, In: form Design Magazine. 269, p. 57-60 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  16. Published

    Home for Hire: How the sharing economy commoditises our private sphere

    Bialski, P., 01.01.2017, Sharing Economies in Times of Crisis: Practices, Politics and Possibilities. Ince, A. & Hall, S. M. (eds.). Oxford: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, p. 83-95 13 p. (Routledge Frontiers of Political Economy).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  17. Published

    The state of the internets: Notes for a new historiography of technosociality

    Shah, N., 01.01.2017, The Routledge Companion to Global Internet Histories. Goggin, G. & McLelland, M. (eds.). New York: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, p. 49-60 12 p.

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

  18. Published

    Beating Time: Futuristische Geschichten und vergangene Zukünfte der Drum-Machine

    Pelleter, M., 2017, Good Vibrations: Eine Geschichte der elektronischen Musikinstrumente. Restle, C., Brillmaier, B. & Hardjowirogo, S.-I. (eds.). Berlin: Deutscher Kunstverlag, p. 41-45 5 p.

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

  19. Published

    Computer Game Worlds

    Pias, C., 2017, Zürich: Diaphanes Verlag. 355 p. (sequenzia)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearchpeer-review

  20. Published

    Das Ereignis, „wenn man sich im Bett umdreht“ – Zur Zukunft des Subjekts bei Alain Badiou und Robert Musil

    Schnödl, G., 2017, Zurück in die Zukunft: Die Bedeutung von Diskursen über „Zukunft“ in der Wissenschaftsgeschichte. Freitag, K. & Groß, D. (eds.). Kassel: Kassel university press, p. 75-90 16 p. ( Studien des Aachener Kompetenzzentrums für Wissenschaftsgeschichte; vol. 18).

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

  21. Published

    Die Rettung des Ontologischen durch das Ontische? Ein Kommentar zu 'operativen Ontologien'

    Krämer, S., 2017, In: Zeitschrift für Medien- und Kulturforschung. 8, 2, p. 125-142 18 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review