ABSTRACT
Educational policy change occurs in particular spaces. Whilst human geography has a long history of using space to analyse public policy, there is little focus in the sociology of education on analysing relationships between spaces and educational policy changes. Nonetheless, some studies do locate educational change in terms of spatial factors such as place and globalisation (Kenway et al. 2001; Thomson 2002) or explicitly use theories of space within a theoretical framework (Ball et al. 1995; Ball et al. 1998; Gulson 2002; Taylor 2002; Armstrong 2003; Dillabough 2004). Others, such as Butler and Robson (2003a,b), position space as central when analysing connections between educational change and urban change. I consider these types of studies to be crucial delineators in the current use of space in education policy sociology; part of what Ball (1994b) calls ‘an “applied sociology” which engages with “real world” issues’ (p. 171). Nevertheless, there is still much work to be conducted, specifically exploring the links between urban change and educational policy change. Additionally, in education policy sociology, following arguments in human geography, ‘space’ needs further theorising as a term and analytical tool. These concerns are at the forefront of this paper.
