Foucault, Power, and Education

by Stephen J. Ball

Foucault, Power, and Education invites internationally renowned scholar Stephen J. Ball to reflect on the importance and influence of Foucault on his work in educational policy. By focusing on some of the ways Foucault has been placed in relation to educational questions or questions about education, Ball highlights the relationships between Foucault s concepts and methods, and educational research and analysis. An introductory chapter offers a brief explanation of some of Foucault s key concerns, while additional chapters explore ways in which Ball himself has sought to apply Foucault s ideas in addressing contemporary educational issues.

In this intensely personal and reflective text, Ball offers an interpretation of his Foucault That is, his own particular reading of the Foucauldian toolbox. Ideal for courses in education policy and education studies, this valuable teaching resource is essential reading for any education scholar looking for a starting point into the literature and ideas of Foucault.

Genres: Education, Academic

192 pages, Paperback

First published August 15, 2012

Reviews

[Sue Lyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stephen ball is probably my favourite sociologist of education and this book didn't disappoint. At the bottom line it is a reflection on his own autobiography as a scholar and how he has been influenced by foucault's ideas towards the end of his academic life. To have this kind of insight into the working mind of one of our greatest educationalists is inspirational and provides an example of critical reflective practice in action. To do this he has to explain some of foucault's key ideas which he does very lucidly and then uses them to critique education policy, his main area of expertise. The book provides an insight into how to apply Foucault's ideas and methods, a kind of toolkit for researchers. I particularly liked the way he demonstrates how discourses of race are embedded in all thinking about schooling. His explication of how testing has been used to classify, separate and regulate children right from the beginning of compulsory schooling has particular resonance as the regimes of testing have come to dominate every aspect of education under neo-liberalism. The book overall is like a series of thought experiments into some of Foucault's key ideas. I would love him to do another book focusing on ethics, the ideas which Foucault was working on at the end of his life.

[Aquileana]

Foucault, Power, and Education invites internationally renowned scholar Stephen J. Ball to reflect on the importance and influence of Foucault on his work in educational policy. By focusing on some of the ways Foucault has been placed in relation to educational questions or questions about education, Ball highlights the relationships between Foucault s concepts and methods, and educational research and analysis. An introductory chapter offers a brief explanation of some of Foucault s key concerns, while additional chapters explore ways in which Ball himself has sought to apply Foucault s ideas in addressing contemporary educational issues.

In this intensely personal and reflective text, Ball offers an interpretation of his Foucault That is, his own particular reading of the Foucauldian toolbox. Ideal for courses in education policy and education studies, this valuable teaching resource is essential reading for any education scholar looking for a starting point into the literature and ideas of Foucault.

[Allie Piippo · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book could've been a 12-page article if the redundancies had been taken out.

I've now read the words concomitant or ontological enough for several lifetimes.

It made me re-think my decision to go back to school.

[أروى محمد الزريعي]

' I don't write a book so that it will be the final word; I write a book so that other books are possible, not necessarily written by me.' Foucault

[Sue Lyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stephen ball is probably my favourite sociologist of education and this book didn't disappoint. At the bottom line it is a reflection on his own autobiography as a scholar and how he has been influenced by foucault's ideas towards the end of his academic life. To have this kind of insight into the working mind of one of our greatest educationalists is inspirational and provides an example of critical reflective practice in action. To do this he has to explain some of foucault's key ideas which he does very lucidly and then uses them to critique education policy, his main area of expertise. The book provides an insight into how to apply Foucault's ideas and methods, a kind of toolkit for researchers. I particularly liked the way he demonstrates how discourses of race are embedded in all thinking about schooling. His explication of how testing has been used to classify, separate and regulate children right from the beginning of compulsory schooling has particular resonance as the regimes of testing have come to dominate every aspect of education under neo-liberalism. The book overall is like a series of thought experiments into some of Foucault's key ideas. I would love him to do another book focusing on ethics, the ideas which Foucault was working on at the end of his life.

[Audrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phew. This was a great book which has really helped my understanding of Foucault's work overall, not just in the field of education. Seeing the frameworks Foucault created applied consistently to one field made them more accessible to my mind. That said, it will take weeks (and much revisiting of the text) for all of this info to trickle down through my brain into my long term understanding.

[Corinne Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stephen Ball writes so well. This was a really interesting use of Foucault to understand education. Particularly confronting and interesting to me was the illumination of how much of current state education policy has its history in eugenics. A great chapter on performativity and neoliberalism as well.