Lasse Suonperä Liebst

Dr. Lasse Suonperä Liebst is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Copenhagen. His research focuses on interpersonal violence, bystander behavior, and micro-sociological analyses using video observation methodologies. He is particularly known for his work leveraging CCTV footage to study public behavior during conflicts, police interactions, and pandemic-related compliance. Liebst’s work intersects criminology, sociology, and public health, with a focus on quantitative methodologies and real-world observational data.

His research areas include analyzing ethnic profiling in policing through covert observation, evaluating behavioral interventions in drug markets, and studying how social distancing and mask-wearing behaviors were influenced during the COVID-19 pandemic. He has pioneered methods for ethological observation of human behavior in natural settings, emphasizing rigorous data collection and cross-national comparative studies.

Liebst’s articles consistently highlight the importance of empirical, video-based evidence in understanding societal phenomena. Recent trends in his work emphasize applying computer vision technologies to behavioral research and advocating for interaction ethology as a core methodological framework in the social sciences. His studies often reveal counterintuitive findings, such as the low risk faced by bystanders intervening in public conflicts or the lack of risk compensation linked to mask-wearing during the pandemic.

While no scientific awards are explicitly mentioned, his contributions to criminology and observational research methodologies have likely impacted policy discussions on public safety and policing practices. Liebst collaborates internationally, as evidenced by his co-authored works with researchers from the Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement (NSCR) and other institutions.