Nic Crowe

Dr Nic Crowe serves as Honorary Senior Lecturer at Brunel University London within the College of Business, Arts and Social Sciences, and holds the position of Programme Lead for the BA Education. A qualified Teacher, Youth and Community Worker, and Play Worker, he integrates practical experience in art, technology, and cultural studies into his academic practice.

His research centers on Digital Storytelling, with concentrated focus on Pro-Ana/Pro-Mia digital communities and Lolicon within Anime and Manga studies. Crowe's foundational work emerged from a five-year ethnographic PhD study of the online game Runescape ("Hanging with the Catherby Shark Gurlz"), examining virtual identities, communities, and youth culture in digital spaces. His scholarship consistently explores how marginalized groups navigate transgressive identities through digital media.

Analysis of his 15 most recent publications reveals persistent themes of digital transgression and identity performance across sociology, education, and digital media disciplines. His methodological approach favors digital ethnography to investigate ethical complexities in youth subcultures, particularly regarding body image, online communities, and resistance practices. Key publication venues include Societies and the International Journal of Adolescence and Youth.

Crowe collaborates extensively with scholars like Prof Mike Watts through the CYWS research group. His media contributions include BBC Radio 4's 'Thinking Allowed' on gaming culture and articles for Canvas8 covering 'Dark Tourism,' Glee fandom, and anime studies. Non-academic writings for Libertine explore feminist zombies and Studio Ghibli aesthetics.