Sveinung Sandberg is a Norwegian criminologist and professor at the University of Oslo. His research focuses on narrative criminology, drug cultures, street life, gangs, and qualitative research methods. Sandberg has conducted extensive ethnographic studies on marginalized groups, including drug users, gang members, and radicalized individuals. Together with Lois Presser, he played a leading role in establishing Narrative Criminology as a distinct theoretical perspective within contemporary criminology.
Sandberg’s work emphasizes the role of storytelling, identity construction, and cultural meaning in criminal behavior. Drawing on symbolic interactionism, narrative sociology, and cultural criminology, he examines how offenders use stories to create coherence, justify actions, and negotiate identities. His research demonstrates that narratives are not merely retrospective accounts but can actively shape future actions and social trajectories. Sandberg also contributed significantly to ethnographic and qualitative methods in criminology, especially in the study of drug use and marginalized urban cultures.
