Tove Gustavsson

Main research areas

• Cultural Criminology
• Ethnography
• Social interaction
• Digital Sociology
• Darknet

Current research

My doctoral thesis project examines the social dynamics of cryptoforums within the Darknet, moving beyond the common perception of these spaces as purely criminal environments. Drawing on three years of ethnographic fieldwork, as well as interviews, my study provides new insights into how participants create, negotiate, and sustain a sense of community in an anonymous and often stigmatized setting.

The research highlights that, despite their reputation as lawless “wild west” spaces, cryptoforums are governed by clear norms and rules. Public shaming emerges as a central mechanism of social control, reinforcing community standards and ensuring trust in an environment where identity is concealed. Trust, reputation, and social capital are shown to be crucial to forum interactions, illustrating how participants cultivate stability within a decentralized and anti-authoritarian culture.

In addition to my own research, I have contributed as a research assistant to the projects E-vivi and VIRTUTRIALS.

Teaching

I teach within the Lund University Cultural Criminology programme, with a focus on criminological theory and digital ethnography. My teaching experience spans both bachelor- and master-level courses, and I have supervised several bachelor’s theses in criminology. I have also contributed to the University of Gothenburg’s "Cultural Criminology" and “Digital Criminology” course, where I taught topics related to culture and digital crime. In addition, I regularly teach courses on digital ethnography, offering students methodological tools to critically engage with hidden or hard-to-reach online communities.