Silje Bakken

Fields of interest

Online drug dealing, social media, cryptomarkets, crime, delinquency, youth, qualitative methods, criminology, substance use, drug dealing, drug markets, trust

Short presentation

My research area is online drug markets and the use of digital qualitative methods. I am currently working on my PhD on online drug dealing, more specifically the use of social media and darknet to sell and buy illegal drugs. Within this topic, I focus on how trust is established within these markets in order to make the market function. I am specifically interested in how market participants perform and perceive trust through visual images and self presentations. As well as the value of network relations and how this is done in digital environments. To explore these markets and their participants I use qualitative methods like digital ethnography/netnography and semi-structured interviews.

Having a background in criminology also makes me interested in most crime related topics. I have earlier worked with young people and substance use, which is still a part of my research interest as well.

Primary fields of research

Crime, youth, Internet, social media