Epistemologies of cyberspace: notes for interdisciplinary research

In researching cybercrimes, attention is increasingly turning toward multi- and interdisciplinary approaches that draw on intellectual and methodological insights from both the computer and the social sciences. While promising, these approaches are not easy to be implemented, as they require different disciplines and professions to make a serious effort in understanding each other’s language, theoretical and methodological frameworks and standards—which may vary considerably. Furthermore, epistemologies at the very basis of different disciplines are at times, at least apparently, not well aligned, making it difficult to fully integrate them. This chapter will provide an overview of these issues and propose some broad principles for supporting advancements in cybercrime research.