Centre for Digital Cultures

Organisational unit: Institute

Organisation profile

The Centre for Digital Cultures (CDC) unites a large range of research and development activities dedicated to the digital shift. It engages in knowledge creation and transfer, experimental and interventionist media practices, and research in disciplines such as media, social and cultural studies. The CDC aims to both understand the epochal digital shift through excellent research, and to become one of the major European forces that shape digital cultures to come.

The CDC has seen a remarkable uptake of successful funding bids. The major projects are funded by the European Fund for Regional Development (EFRE) and the State of Lower Saxony, by the German Research Council (DFG) and the VW Foundation respectively. Additional smaller projects are supported by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Transmediale, and the German Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF). The CDC has by now more than 80 researchers and cultural producers from all over the world. They work on questions such as:

  • Transmedia: How can we understand and develop new formats for entertainment as well as culture and education, merging different forms of production, participation, distribution and aesthetics?
  • User and Audience Research: What kind of methods enable us to understand new usage and consumption patterns, addressing digital cultures’ both global and local audiences? 
  • Gamification: Computer games have a growing relevance in contemporary life, not only due to the games themselves, but also through their metaphors and methods. What new opportunities arise?
  • Common Media: Which new forms of citizenship and cultural/political engagement are developing in the digital age, and how can we understand, enact and strengthen them?
  • Net based Public Broadcast: How can publicly funded provision of information, education, culture and entertainment adapt to the internet? How can new versions of basic provision be realized?
  • Hybrid Publishing: Which avenues for the communication and dissemination of knowledge beyond classrooms and research articles can be constructed, adapting the cultural and economic logic of the digital age?
  • Computer Simulation: From climate change to mass panics: Knowledge production based on computer simulation is shaping our worldview. How can we analyse and understand its effects?

Research and development at the CDC traverse boundaries between the academic sector, culture and the arts, industry, governmental bodies and civil society. It is a conducive, productive and experimental research environment, in which researchers and entrepreneurs, activists and artists, producers and hackers, thinkers and doers broker dynamic connections. Visions, blueprints and experimental findings get exposed to real-world conditions. The development of innovative teaching formats is a further crucial part of the mix: Leuphana Digital School is bringing knowledge and education online, and a new English-speaking Bachelor in Digital Media started in autumn 2013, developed in cooperation with Leuphana’s Institute for the Culture and Aesthetics of Digital Media, Hamburg Media School and Hongkong City University. The result is a new, open and engaged form of research and development for Europe’s digital cultures.

Topics

  • Transmedia
  • User and Audience Research 
  • Gamification
  • Common Media
  • Net based Public Broadcast
  • Hybrid Publishing
  • Computer Simulation
  • Artistic Research
  • New Teaching Formats
  1. Published

    Herausforderungen und Potenziale von Online-Medien für die qualitative Forschung: Eine Einführung

    Schirmer, D., Sander, N. & Wenninger, A., 2015, Die qualitative Analyse internetbasierter Daten: Methodische Herausforderungen und Potenziale von Online-Medien. Schirmer, D., Sander, N. & Wenninger, A. (eds.). Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, p. 7-32 26 p.

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

  2. Published

    Mediatisierte Online-Kommunikation: Forschungspraktische Verwobenheit von Medientechnologie, Erhebungssituation und kontextsensitivem Auswertungsverfahren

    Sander, N. & Schulz, M., 2014, Die qualitative Analyse internetbasierter Daten: Methodische Herausforderungen und Potenziale von Online-Medien. Schirmer, D., Sander, N. & Wenninger, A. (eds.). Wiesbaden: Springer VS, p. 161-198 38 p.

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

  3. Published

    Die qualitative Analyse internetbasierter Daten: Methodische Herausforderungen und Potenziale von Online-Medien

    Schirmer, D. (ed.), Sander, N. (ed.) & Wenninger, A. (ed.), 2014, Wiesbaden: Springer VS. 284 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  4. Published

    Rethinking Gamification

    Fuchs, M. (ed.), Fizek, S. (ed.), Ruffino, P. (ed.) & Schrape, N. (ed.), 16.06.2014, Lüneburg: meson press. 344 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  5. Published

    From the open road to the high seas? Piracy, damnation and resistance in academic consumption of publishing

    Beverungen, A., Böhm, S. & Land, C., 09.2013, In: Prometheus: Critical Studies in Innovation. 31, 3, p. 241-247 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Computersimulation

    Vehlken, S., Schrickel, I. & Pias, C., 2015, Futurologien: Ein Glossar des Zukunftswissens. Bühler, B. & Willer, S. (eds.). 1 ed. München: Wilhelm Fink Verlag, p. 181-192 12 p. (TRAJEKTE - Eine Reihe des Zentrums für Literatur- und Kulturforschung Berlin).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticles for encyclopediaResearch

  7. Published

    Von der Performance mit Musik zur Performanz rückgekoppelter Maschinengeräusche: Töne, Klänge und Geräusche in Installationen und Performances in den achtziger Jahren und um 2000

    Leeker, M., 2006, Reflexzonen, Migration. Brüstle, C. & Rebstock, M. (eds.). 1 ed. Saarbrücken: Pfau Verlag, p. 165-177 13 p. (Musik im Dialog; vol. 6)(Jahrbuch der Berliner Gesellschaft für Neue Musik; vol. 2003/2004).

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

  8. Published

    MOOC: Zukunft der Bildung oder Robo-Uni?

    Heise, C., Kießl, M., Kral, C. & Peters, H., 12.04.2014, Jahrbuch Netzpolitik 2013. Beckedahl, M. (ed.). 1 ed. Berlin: newthinking communications, Berlin, p. 153-172 20 p.

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

  9. Published

    Wissenschaftliche Kommunikation im Netz 2013: Von Open Access zu Open Science

    Heise, C., 12.04.2014, Jahrbuch Netzpolitik 2013. Beckedahl, M. (ed.). 1 ed. Berlin: newthinking communications, Berlin, p. 142-152 11 p.

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

  10. Published

    Value struggles in the creative city: A 'People's Republic of Stokes Croft'?

    Frenzel, F. & Beverungen, A., 18.05.2015, In: Urban Studies. 52, 6, p. 1020-1036 17 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  11. Published

    Digitale Operativität und Performance: Geschichte der Mensch-Computer-Schnittstelle im Moment ihrer Hinterfragung, noch bevor sie anfing

    Leeker, M., 2005, In: Paragrana. 14, 2, p. 25-52 28 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  12. Published

    Die Bühne als Display: Prekäre Trennschärfen zwischen kontinuierlichem Messen und diskretem Zählen

    Leeker, M., 2007, In: Navigationen. 7, 2, p. 49-70 22 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  13. Published

    Einleitung - McLuhan neu lesen: Zur Aktualität des kanadischen Medientheoretikers

    Leeker, M. & Schmidt, K., 2008, McLuhan neu Lesen: Kritische Analysen zu Medien und Kultur im 21. Jahrhundert. De Kerckhove, D., Leeker, M. & Schmidt, K. (eds.). Bielefeld: transcript Verlag, p. 19-50 32 p.

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

  14. Published

    Camouflagen des Computers: McLuhan und die Neo-Avantgarden der 1960er Jahre

    Leeker, M., 2008, McLuhan neu Lesen: Kritische Analysen zu Medien und Kultur im 21. Jahrhundert. De Kerckhove, D., Leeker, M. & Schmidt, K. (eds.). Bielefeld: transcript Verlag, p. 345-375 31 p.

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

  15. Published

    Schwinde(l)ndes Theater: Zur Installation "camera orfeo" von Penelope Wehrli

    Leeker, M., 05.2010, Penelope Wehrli : Ich wohne in der Möglichkeit ; raum partituren. Bern: Benteli, p. 214 - 219 5 p.

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

  16. Published

    Das Seufzen der Olimpia

    Warnke, M., 2014, Interventionen: Festschrift für Georg Christoph Tholen. Haase, F. & Heilmann, T. A. (eds.). Marbug: Schüren Verlag, p. 323-331 8 p. (Marburger Schriften zur Medienforschung; vol. 45).

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

  17. Published

    Pragmatism versus Artificial Art: Computer Stories

    Leeker, M., 2009, Americanisms: Discourses of Exception, Exclusion, Exchange ; [conference on "Americanisms" at the University of Bayreuth between January 30 and February 1, 2008]. Steppat, M. (ed.). Heidelberg: Winter Universitätsverlag, p. 67-84 18 p. (American Studies; vol. 173).

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

  18. Published

    Daten tanzen: Zum Projekt Choreography and Cognition von Wayne McGregor

    Leeker, M., 2009, In: Ästhetik & Kommunikation. 40, 146, p. 31-38 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  19. Published

    Musik Computer Tanz: Auf den Spuren des Resonanzparadigmas, 1900/2000

    Leeker, M., 2009, Tanz im Musiktheater – Tanz als Musiktheater: Bericht eines internationalen Symposiums über Beziehungen von Tanz und Musik im Theater. Betzwieser, T., Mungen, A., Münzmay, A. & Schroedter, S. (eds.). Würzburg: Königshausen & Neumann, p. 449-464 15 p. (Thurnauer Schriften zum Musiktheater; vol. 22).

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

  20. Published

    Meme, Virals, Vlogs and Mimikry. Zum Scheitern von Theatralität und Performativität im Web 2.0

    Leeker, M. & Wassermann, A., 2010, Theatralität online!: Positionen für eine theatrale Online-Interktionspädagogik. Bonczek, F. (ed.). Berlin: Schibri-Verlag, p. 89-122 33 p. (Lingener Reihe für Theaterpädagogik; vol. 8).

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