Ulrik Ekman

Current research

Ulrik Ekman is Associate Professor at the Department of Arts and Cultural Studies, University of Copenhagen. Ekman’s main research interests are in the fields of cybernetics and ICT, the network society, new media art, critical design and aesthetics, as well as recent cultural theory. He is currently the head of the Nordic research network “The Culture of Ubiquitous Information” with more than 150 participating researchers. Ekman is currently involved in the publication of Ubiquitous Computing, Complexity and Culture (Routledge, forthcoming 2015), a comprehensive anthology treating the question whether and how the development of network societies with a third wave of computing may have emerge another kind of technocultural complexity. Ekman’s publications include research articles and chapters such as  “Of the Untouchability of Embodiment I: Rafael Lozano-Hemmer's Relational Architectures." C-Theory (2012), “Irreducible Vagueness: Augmented Worldmaking in Diller & Scofidio’s Blur Building.” Postmodern Culture  19.2, and “Of Transductive Speed – Stiegler.” Parallax 13.4. He is also the editor of Throughout: Art and Culture Emerging with Ubiquitous Computing (MIT Press, 2013).

Fields of interest

Waste, garbage, trash, environmentalism, immanent critique of contemporary consumer societies.

Complex and critical design in the expanded field, digital humanities, ubiquitous computing, network societies, smart cities, information culture, digitalization and convergence, Internet culture, new media, installation and media art, media aesthetics, cultural theory, philosophies of difference, problematizations of representation, pragmatism, performativity and interactivity, approaches to affect, emotion, and passion, sensation and sense, embodiment and posthumanity, life world and technology.

Teaching

I teach in several fields, i.e., design, digital theory and practice, visual culture, cultural theory, information culture, digital aesthetics and communication. Current themes: Cultural theory and visual cultures; The modern and the late modern city; Smart cities; Rubbish culture and sustainability; Media esthetics; The theory and practice of digital visual culture; Design history, design theory, and design analysis; Design and everyday culture.

Knowledge of languages

Primary fields of research

Design theory, design history, design culture, design analysis, digital design, interaction design, experience design, webdesign, cultural theory, visual culture, information culture, digital theory and practice, media aesthetics, media art, software studies, ubiquitous computing, pervasive computing, ambient intelligence, context-awareness, smart cities, rubbish theory, sustainability.

CV

Head of Studies, Art History and Visual Culture, Department of Arts and Cultural Studies, University of Copenhagen. 2013.

Associate Professor, Department of Arts and Cultural Studies, Art History, University of Copenhagen. 2010.

Assistant Professor, Department of Arts and Cultural Studies, Comparative Literature and Modern Culture, University of Copenhagen. 2003.

Ph.D., The Literature Program, Duke University, USA. 2000.