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

    Automatismen im Tanz: Vom Agenten-Züchten

    Leeker, M., 2011, Unsichtbare Hände: Automatismen in Medien-, Technik- und Diskursgeschichte. Bublitz, H., Kaldrack, I., Röhle, T. & Winkler, H. (eds.). 1 ed. Paderborn: Wilhelm Fink Verlag, p. 111-140 30 p. (Schriftenreihe des Graduiertenkollegs "Automatismen").

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

  2. Published

    Just do it! Mimesis in technischem und künstlerischem Systems Engineering

    Leeker, M., 2012, Mimesis. Balke, F., Siegert, B. & Vogl, J. (eds.). München: Wilhelm Fink Verlag, p. 153-166 13 p. (Archiv für Mediengeschichte; vol. 12).

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

  3. Published

    Medien Atmosphären: Zur Remediation von Sozialität

    Bachmann, G. & Beyes, T., 2013, Remediate: An den Rändern von Film, Netz und Archiv / At the borders of film, internet and archives. Doulis, M. & Ott, P. (eds.). 1 ed. Paderborn: Wilhelm Fink Verlag, p. 131-152 21 p. (Merz Akademie).

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

  4. Published

    Virtuelle Realität, 3D und Simulation

    Warnke, M., 2014, Bild: Ein interdisziplinäres Handbuch. Günzel, S. & Mersch, D. (eds.). Stuttgart: J.B. Metzler, p. 273-277 5 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticles for encyclopediaResearch

  5. Published

    Ludic Interfaces

    Fuchs, M., Russegger, G. & Mañas Carbonell, M., 2013, Exploring Videogames: Culture, Design and Identity . Webber, N. & Riha, D. (eds.). Oxford: Inter-Disciplinary Press, p. 31 - 40 10 p.

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

  6. Published

    Strangely Familiar: The Uncanny and Unsiting Organizational Analysis

    Beyes, T. & Steyaert, C., 10.2013, In: Organization Studies. 34, 10, p. 1445-1465 21 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Intermediale Performances: Vom Umgang mit Medienkonvergenz 1966/2001

    Leeker, M., 2011, Blickregime und Dispositive audiovisueller Medien. Elia-Borer, N., Sieber, S. & Tholen, G. C. (eds.). Bielefeld: transcript Verlag, p. 87-110 24 p. (MedienAnalysen; no. 13).

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

  8. Published

    Performativierung des Raums: Wissens- und technikgeschichtliche Aspekte zeitgenössischer Bühnenräume

    Leeker, M., 2014, Bühne: Raumbildender Prozesse im Theater. Eke, N., Haß, U. & Kaldrack, I. (eds.). 1 ed. Paderborn: Wilhelm Fink Verlag, p. 149-170 22 p. (Automatismen).

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

  9. Published

    Ziele, Mittel, Vermittlungswege: Drei Erfolgsdimensionen von Politik – zum Aufbau des Bandes

    Eckert, G., Novy, L. & Schwickert, D., 2013, Zwischen Macht und Ohnmacht: Facetten erfolgreicher Politik. Novy, L., Eckert, G. & Schwickert, D. (eds.). Wiesbaden: Springer VS, p. 47-58

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

  10. Published

    Erfolgreiche Politik! Zwischen Macht und Ohnmacht – eine Einleitung

    Eckert, G., Novy, L. & Schwickert, D., 2013, Zwischen Macht und Ohnmacht: Facetten erfolgreicher Politik. Eckert, G., Novy, L. & Schwickert, D. (eds.). Wiesbaden: Springer VS, p. 11-30 20 p.

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

  11. Published

    Journalismus in der digitalen Moderne: Einsichten - Ansichten - Aussichten

    Kramp, L. (ed.), Novy, L. (ed.), Ballwieser, D. (ed.) & Wenzlaff, K. (ed.), 2013, Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften. 251 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  12. Published

    Zwischen Macht und Ohnmacht: Facetten erfolgreicher Politik

    Eckert, G. (ed.), Novy, L. (ed.) & Schwickert, D. (ed.), 2013, Wiesbaden: Springer VS. 431 p. (Politik als Beruf)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  13. Published

    Britain and Germany Imagining the Future of Europe: National Identity, Mass Media and the Public Sphere

    Novy, L., 12.09.2013, London: Palgrave Macmillan. 304 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesBook

  14. Published

    Jahrbuch Fernsehen 2013

    Anschlag, D. (ed.), Cippitelli, C. (ed.), Hachmeister, L. (ed.), Kammann, U., Kubitz, P. P., Müller, P. (ed.) & Novy, L. (ed.), 2013, Berlin: Institut für Medien- und Kommunikationspolitik gHmbH. 464 p. (Jahrbuch Fernsehen)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  15. Published

    Relationen im Raum: Visualisierung topographischer Klein(st)strukturen

    Hüttenmeister, N., Kollatz, T., Rütenik, T., Warnke, M., Wedemeyer, C. & Ziai, T., 2013, In: Kalonymos. 16, 4, p. 4-6 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  16. Published

    Changing societies, changing journalism

    Novy, L., 2013, 2013 Social Media Guidebook. Möller, C. & Stone, M. (eds.). Wien: OSCE - The Representative on Freedom of the Media, p. 129-138 10 p.

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

  17. Published

    Stiftung Journalismus: Zur Konkretion neuer medienpolitischer Strategien

    Novy, L., 2013, Rundfunkpolitik und Netzpolitik: Strukturwandel der Medienpolitik in Deutschland. Hachmeister, L. & Anschlag, D. (eds.). Köln: Herbert von Halem Verlag, p. 140-149 10 p. (Edition Medienpraxis; vol. 10).

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

  18. Published

    Journalismus als „creative industry“? Medienpolitische Möglichkeiten & kreativ-wirtschaftliche Strategien

    Hachmeister, L., Novy, L. & Torun, O., 2013, Das Bauhaus kommt aus Thüringen: Kreativwirtschaft jenseits der Metropolen. Machnig, M. & Kiefer, D. (eds.). Köln/Weimar/Wien: Böhlau Verlag GmbH, p. 93-111 19 p.

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

  19. Published

    Das Ende der alten Zeitungsindustrie

    Novy, L. & Wäscher, T., 2013, In: Berliner Republik : das Debattenmagazin. 14, 5, 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransfer

  20. Published

    Eine Partei lebt

    Novy, L. & Stauss, F., 2014, Wahl 2013: Macht, Medien, Milliardäre : Analysen zur Nationalratswahl. Hofer, T. & Tóth, B. (eds.). 2 ed. Münster: LIT Verlag, p. 125-135 (Politik Aktuell; no. 14).

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