Course Schedule

Veranstaltungen von Prof. Dr. Jan Müggenburg


Lehrveranstaltungen

Media Archaeology as Method and Theory (Seminar)

Dozent/in: Jan Müggenburg

Termin:
 wöchentlich | Freitag | 10:15 - 11:45 | 07.04.2025 - 11.07.2025 | C 5.325 Seminarraum

Inhalt: Media archaeology is an approach within media studies that investigates new media cultures through insights from past new media, often with an emphasis on the forgotten, the quirky, and the non-obvious apparatuses, practices, and inventions. For example, if they want to better understand how digital streaming platforms have been reshaping media consumption and popular cultures in recent years, a media archaeologist would go back in time and analyze how video recorders and related institutions, such as video parlors, changed television culture in the 1980s. One of the key assumptions of media archaeology is that old media have not vanished, but rather reappear in the form of new media, connecting contemporary cultures with numerous layers of past media technologies. Media archaeology views media cultures as sedimented and layered, a fold of time and materiality where the past and new media converge. Media archaeology is both a method and a theory. As a method, it empowers us to combine hands-on experimentation with individual objects and practices with the analysis of wider cultures of media use in their historical context. As a theory, media archaeology builds on the work of influential researchers such as Friedrich Kittler, Siegfried Zielinski, and Wendy Hui Kyong Chun, and enables us to critically assess power relations and regimes of established styles of thinking that are reflected in the materiality of technological devices.

History of Computing: Epistemology of Personal Computing (Seminar)

Dozent/in: Jan Müggenburg

Termin:
 14-täglich | Donnerstag | 09:45 - 13:15 | 07.04.2025 - 11.07.2025 | HMS 139

Inhalt: This seminar will delve into the fascinating history of personal computing, examining how computers have evolved and impacted society over time. Through a combination of historical analysis, technical instruction, and hands-on experimentation, students will gain a deeper understanding of the complex narratives surrounding the development of computers. We will explore the competing stories of computer invention, from the role of the military and business in the development of the mainframe to the counterculture's influence on the personal computer. Students will learn to think critically about the histories they are taught and the role technology plays in shaping society. Students will develop their writing and historical thinking skills, while also gaining a greater awareness of the historical materiality of computer technology. The course will alternate between seminars offering historical analysis and discussion, and labs providing technical instruction and hands-on experimentation with vintage computer systems and technologies. By exploring the history of personal computing from the mid-1970s to the late-1980s, students will gain a richer understanding of the cultural and technological forces that have shaped our modern digital world. This seminar is ideal for students interested in the intersection of technology, history, and culture, and will provide a unique opportunity to engage with the inner workings of computers and their outermost cultural forms.

Theoretical and Technical Stream (Kolloquium)

Dozent/in: Jan Müggenburg

Termin:
 14-täglich | Donnerstag | 09:45 - 13:15 | 14.04.2025 - 11.07.2025 | HMS 231/232

Inhalt: This course is recommended for students planning to develop an theoretical/historical or a technological research project. In this seminar, we will address the challenges of scientific writing. First, we will explore the question of how theoretical, historical, and technological research can be conducted in the field of digital media, discussing various scientific methods. In the subsequent course of the seminar, we will delve into the individual steps of project planning, research, and the search for suitable research literature and other sources. We will also examine helpful strategies for constructing a scientific argument and preparing a draft manuscript.

BA Colloquium (Kolloquium)

Dozent/in: Jan Müggenburg

Termin:
 Einzeltermin | Do, 26.06.2025, 14:00 - Do, 26.06.2025, 20:00 | HMS 139
Einzeltermin | Do, 10.07.2025, 14:00 - Do, 10.07.2025, 20:00 | HMS 139

Inhalt: In this colloquium, we focus on forming an exciting and answerable research question for a BA thesis. We look at the relationship between formulating a hypothesis and subsequently identifying methods to guide the inquiry. The colloquium is a process of discovery best conducted with peers. The study of Digital Culture increasingly calls for interdisciplinary methods--you have a considerable amount of latitude in terms of your topic and methods. This disciplinary latitude means that choosing a topic narrow enough to answer in a BA thesis is critical. For this reason, much of the feedback given in the initial stages amounts to “be more specific.” Accordingly, you will get the most out of this colloquium if you arrive with a clearly defined topic. You have to know the boundaries (e.g., a time frame, geographic area, demographics).

Media Design and Accessibility (stream A+B) (Vorlesung)

Dozent/in: Jan Müggenburg, Anna-Lena Wiechern

Termin:
 wöchentlich | Donnerstag | 14:00 - 15:30 | 10.04.2025 - 24.04.2025 | HMS | Ditze-Hörsaal
Einzeltermin | Do, 08.05.2025, 14:00 - Do, 08.05.2025, 16:30 | extern | Excursion to the NDR (Group 1)
Einzeltermin | Do, 22.05.2025, 14:00 - Do, 22.05.2025, 16:30 | extern | Excursion to the NDR (Group 2)

Inhalt: This lecture introduces students to digital accessibility. Experts from the digital industry will give talks on topics as wide ranging as live captioning, accessible web design, diversity in the media and the accessibility of digital tools such as PowerPoint.