Beyond the ‘terrors of performativity’: dichotomies, identities and escaping the panopticon

This article examines the influence of Stephen Ball’s work through eyes two former teachers turned academics who met a mutual interest in his paper, ‘The teacher’s soul and terrors performativity’. We note our personal reactions to this particular paper how body has continues thinking, careers research. that highly readable, provocative style writing passionate denunciation league tables, inspections associated paraphernalia control appear central neoliberal models educational governance continue prove useful understanding global policy. also critically engages with effects such seminal on lived experience teaching profession. The first author argues while is understand pressures struggles face, use Foucauldian notions as ‘docile bodies’ ‘subject-position’ can be seen flatten out teachers, rendering them passive bystanders rather than agentic professionals. second revisits recalls her early work, particularly concept ‘panoptic performativity’, impact general, have wider field.