The Ethical Spectacle: A Cultural Criminological Study of Morbid Curiosity Toward Violent Content in Swedish True Crime Podcast Communities
(2026) CCRM21 20261Department of Sociology
- Abstract
- Interest in violence and graphic content is traditionally explained in relation to media effects concerns, desensitization, or individual psychological attraction. This thesis approaches the interest from a different angle, focusing instead on the morbid nature of such curiosity by exploring how engagement with crime narratives is collectively organized within Swedish digital true crime podcast communities. Drawing on cultural criminology, symbolic‐boundary theory, subcultural theory, and perspectives on mediated violence, this study examines how true crime consumers collectively organize their engagement with graphic content. Data collected through semi-structured interviews with active members of Swedish true crime podcast communities,... (More)
- Interest in violence and graphic content is traditionally explained in relation to media effects concerns, desensitization, or individual psychological attraction. This thesis approaches the interest from a different angle, focusing instead on the morbid nature of such curiosity by exploring how engagement with crime narratives is collectively organized within Swedish digital true crime podcast communities. Drawing on cultural criminology, symbolic‐boundary theory, subcultural theory, and perspectives on mediated violence, this study examines how true crime consumers collectively organize their engagement with graphic content. Data collected through semi-structured interviews with active members of Swedish true crime podcast communities, complemented by contextual observations, suggest that participants frame engagement as a way to understand crime and reflect on real-life tragedy with empathy and respect toward victims. The findings also introduce a gendered dimension of true crime engagement, as participants frequently relate their consumption to gendered experiences of vulnerability and risk awareness. This thesis contributes to a deeper understanding of modern digital communities by suggesting that morbid curiosity with violent content is best understood as a social, organized cultural practice and not a psychological pathology toward violence and harm. (Less)
- Popular Abstract
- True crime has become one of the most popular forms of entertainment in Sweden in recent years. Podcasts about murder, missing persons and other violent crimes gather thousands of listeners, some of whom create online communities to discuss cases with each other. At the same time, true crime as a genre is often the subject of public criticism, as there is a great deal of skepticism concerning why people decide to engage in the leisurely activity of listening to stories about violence and death. This study aims to explore how podcast listeners themselves understand their interest in true crime but with a focus on interactions within Swedish true crime podcast communities. The study is based primarily on interviews with eight women who... (More)
- True crime has become one of the most popular forms of entertainment in Sweden in recent years. Podcasts about murder, missing persons and other violent crimes gather thousands of listeners, some of whom create online communities to discuss cases with each other. At the same time, true crime as a genre is often the subject of public criticism, as there is a great deal of skepticism concerning why people decide to engage in the leisurely activity of listening to stories about violence and death. This study aims to explore how podcast listeners themselves understand their interest in true crime but with a focus on interactions within Swedish true crime podcast communities. The study is based primarily on interviews with eight women who regularly listen to Swedish true crime podcasts and identify as active participants in online true crime communities. To better understand the context in which their community discussions take place, the study also includes observations of online discussions and a live true crime podcast event. The interview accounts suggest that participants hardly ever considered their interest a fascination with violence itself. In most cases, participants described being interested in understanding the reasons behind crimes, the process of investigation and the experiences of victims and their relatives. Interest motivated by curiosity and a desire to learn and empathize was considered acceptable, while individuals interested in true crime due to shock value or entertainment purposes were regarded unfavorably. Moreover, conversations between other true crime podcast listeners are important in shaping these interpretations, as community members share their opinions, discuss ethical aspects and try to understand cases together. There is also a specific gendered perspective in that engaging with true crime can be seen as a matter of female vulnerability and learning how to recognize potentially dangerous situations. The findings suggest that interest in graphic content is not simply an attraction to violence and harm but a socially organized interest defined by shared norms, discussions and interpretations. To understand true crime audiences, you need to look beyond individual motivations and focus on the communities in which engagement is made meaningful. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9248897
- author
- Pham, Lisa LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- CCRM21 20261
- year
- 2026
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- Cultural Criminology, True crime, Morbid curiosity, Digital Communities, Symbolic Boundaries, Subculture, Mediated Violence, Edgework, Gender, Podcast Communities
- language
- English
- id
- 9248897
- date added to LUP
- 2026-09-14 08:00:58
- date last changed
- 2026-09-14 08:00:58
@misc{9248897,
abstract = {{Interest in violence and graphic content is traditionally explained in relation to media effects concerns, desensitization, or individual psychological attraction. This thesis approaches the interest from a different angle, focusing instead on the morbid nature of such curiosity by exploring how engagement with crime narratives is collectively organized within Swedish digital true crime podcast communities. Drawing on cultural criminology, symbolic‐boundary theory, subcultural theory, and perspectives on mediated violence, this study examines how true crime consumers collectively organize their engagement with graphic content. Data collected through semi-structured interviews with active members of Swedish true crime podcast communities, complemented by contextual observations, suggest that participants frame engagement as a way to understand crime and reflect on real-life tragedy with empathy and respect toward victims. The findings also introduce a gendered dimension of true crime engagement, as participants frequently relate their consumption to gendered experiences of vulnerability and risk awareness. This thesis contributes to a deeper understanding of modern digital communities by suggesting that morbid curiosity with violent content is best understood as a social, organized cultural practice and not a psychological pathology toward violence and harm.}},
author = {{Pham, Lisa}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{The Ethical Spectacle: A Cultural Criminological Study of Morbid Curiosity Toward Violent Content in Swedish True Crime Podcast Communities}},
year = {{2026}},
}