Stephen J. Ball is a Karl Mannheim Professor of Sociology of Education, the head of section, and the director of the Education Policy Research Unit at the University of London. His main work is in the field of 'policy sociology': the use of sociological theories and methods to analyze policy processes and outcomes. His specific research interests focus on the effects and consequences of the education market in a variety of respects including: the impact of competition on provider behavior; the class strategies of educational choosers; the participation of private capital in education services; and the impact of 'performativity' on academic and social life.

E-mail Stephen Ball at s.ball@ioe.ac.uk