Annual focus “Control of Loss”

Review of the academic events funded as part of the annual focus “Control of Loss” (2023/24).

The following events were funded by the ZeM within the annual focus on “Control of Loss”:

• Lecture series “The Interface Complex” with Dr. Theresa Züger: “Interfaces of AI in the public interest”
• Lecture series “The Interface Complex” with Dr. Timo Kaerlein: “Handhelds und Landhelds – Smartphones im Interfacekomplex“
• Lecture series “The Interface Complex” with Prof. Dr. Kim Albrecht: “APIs als Medium”
• Workshop “Digitization & Epistemologies of Complexity. Observation, Measurement & Reduction”
• Lecture series “The Interface Complex” with Joana Moll: “The Interface Deconstructed & Revisited”
• Lecture series “The Interface Complex” with Dr. Michael Dieter: “Interface critique at large”
• Lecture series “The Interface Complex” with Dr. Esther Weltevrede: “App Studies and Interfaces”
• Graduate Workshop “Navigating Control of Loss”
• Lecture “Control of Loss: Carbolytics” by Joana Moll
• GLIT©H ::: hybr*d lecturƎ pƎrformanc$Ǝs __noisy deep islands__

Please note that the annual focus on “Control of Loss” has been discontinued with the end of the academic year 2023/24.

With its annual focus, the ZeM would like to promote inter-university exchange in Brandenburg and highlight the common profile of the research interests represented by its members.

Here you can find the detailed call for proposals with all information on how to apply (PDF in German).

Following the last focus on “Digital Realities” (2022/23), the ZeM’s new annual focus on “Control of Loss” addresses an unease in the face of current phenomena of loss and the attempts to manage them with digital methods. Whether AI, climate change, species extinction, energy and education crisis, pandemic experience, war and violent scenarios: They are all always also digitally developed, directed, visualized, controlled, made predictable–without being able to erase the latent feeling of a constant existential change and threat. These examples illustrate how much media arrangements shape our ideas of planetary futures, into which the most diverse loss scenarios are inscribed. What must not be lost, however, is the controllability of loss.

We are interested in a wide range of topics that can be worked on together with the ZeM. With this annual focus, the ZeM would like to encourage its members to present research interests, questions and approaches and to strive for new collaborations.

Submissions are invited as of now. Please send your (informal) application by mail to: . Please include some key data about the planned event, such as: Topic, possible speakers, planned time frame/ venue, preliminary calculation.

Possible formats within the annual focus are workshops, lectures and lecture series, discussion rounds, performative interventions or presentations at the ZeM or at the participating universities. Funding is available for events aimed at an academic audience as well as for knowledge transfer events.

Possible financial support: Events that take up the annual focus and are hosted at one of the ZeM-participating universities can receive funding from the ZeM. The ZeM supports scientific event formats such as colloquia, workshops, guest lectures, lecture series, etc. In particular, the ZeM can cover the following costs incurred:

• Fees for lectures and workshops (not for lecturers from Brandenburg)
• Travel and accommodation costs
• Costs for the conception and production of print products (posters/flyers)

All information on the call for proposals and the application procedure can be found in the detailed call for proposals text (PDF in German). If you have further questions, please contact the academic coordinator of the ZeM, Fritz Schlüter, phone: +49(0)3 31 / 81 32 81-68, e-mail: .

Applications for funding can only be submitted by ZeM members. Membership in the ZeM is basically open to anyone who is associated with one of the participating Brandenburg universities. If you would like to become a ZeM member, please send the completed application for membership (PDF) by e-mail to: .

Graphic: Natalie Maximova

Find out more about the ZeM–Brandenburg Center for Media Studies.