Overview
Background
My research explores how knowledge and evidence are translated into policy design and implementation. Previously I have explored the use of behavioural insights, experimental methods, codesign and am now interrogating digital transformation in the development of policy. I am currently completing an ARC Linkage Project titled ‘The new digital governance of welfare-to-work’ and an ESRC project exploring 'Ethics and expertise in times of crisis: Learning from international varieties of ethics advice'. In August 2025 I will be undertaking a DECRA project titled 'Behind the Screens: Interrogating Digital Service Design and Delivery'. Prior to undertaking my Phd I worked in the Australian Public Service, where I developed a deep interest in public administration, knowledge sharing and evidence-based policy.
Availability
- Dr Sarah Ball is:
- Available for supervision
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Arts, Flinders University
- Masters (Coursework), Flinders University
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
Works
Search Professor Sarah Ball’s works on UQ eSpace
2025
Journal Article
Introduction to the Special Issue on Activation and the Digital Welfare State
Mcgann, Michael, Considine, Mark, Nguyen, Phuc and Ball, Sarah (2025). Introduction to the Special Issue on Activation and the Digital Welfare State. Australian Journal of Social Issues. doi: 10.1002/ajs4.70002
2025
Journal Article
Using interpretive political science to understand policy-making in practice
Ball, Sarah (2025). Using interpretive political science to understand policy-making in practice. Australian Journal of Political Science, 1-13. doi: 10.1080/10361146.2025.2454556
2024
Book Chapter
Digital-first employment services in Australia: Challenges and opportunities
Ball, Sarah, McGann, Michael, Lewis, Jenny M. and Considine, Mark (2024). Digital-first employment services in Australia: Challenges and opportunities. The Routledge International Handbook of Public Administration and Digital Governance. (pp. 272-283) edited by Sarah Giest and Ian Roberge. London, United Kingdom: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003458081-22
2024
Journal Article
Who decides what works? Ethical considerations arising from the Australian Government's use of behavioural insights and Robodebt
Ball, Sarah (2024). Who decides what works? Ethical considerations arising from the Australian Government's use of behavioural insights and Robodebt. Australian Journal of Public Administration, 84 (1), 159-171. doi: 10.1111/1467-8500.12676
2024
Journal Article
Collaboration and public policy: agency in the pursuit of public purpose
Ball, Sarah (2024). Collaboration and public policy: agency in the pursuit of public purpose. Critical Policy Studies, 18 (4), 728-731. doi: 10.1080/19460171.2024.2311198
2024
Journal Article
Unlocking policy success: is codesign the key to achieving effective policy outcomes?
Ball, Sarah and Rejón, René (2024). Unlocking policy success: is codesign the key to achieving effective policy outcomes?. Policy Design and Practice, 7 (3), 1-14. doi: 10.1080/25741292.2024.2368911
2024
Book Chapter
Behavioural insights teams in practice: nudge missions and methods on trial
Ball, Sarah and Head, Brian W. (2024). Behavioural insights teams in practice: nudge missions and methods on trial. Beyond nudge: advancing the state-of-the-art of behavioural public policy and administration. (pp. 108-126) edited by Benjamin Ewert, Eva Thomann and Kathrin Loer. Bristol, United Kingdom: Policy Press. doi: 10.1332/030557320X15840777045205
2023
Journal Article
Emerging modes of digitalisation in the delivery of welfare‐to‐work: implications for street‐level discretion
Ball, Sarah, McGann, Michael, Nguyen, Phuc and Considine, Mark (2023). Emerging modes of digitalisation in the delivery of welfare‐to‐work: implications for street‐level discretion. Social Policy and Administration, 57 (7), 1166-1180. doi: 10.1111/spol.12939
2023
Journal Article
Employer engagement: Making active labour market policies work Edited by JoIngold and PatrickMcGurk. Bristol University Press, Mar 1, 2024, 270 pp., ISBN: 978–1529223002, Price GBP 28.99, p/b
Ball, Sarah (2023). Employer engagement: Making active labour market policies work Edited by JoIngold and PatrickMcGurk. Bristol University Press, Mar 1, 2024, 270 pp., ISBN: 978–1529223002, Price GBP 28.99, p/b. British Journal of Industrial Relations, 61 (4), 990-992. doi: 10.1111/bjir.12772
2023
Journal Article
Ethical moments and institutional expertise in UK Government COVID-19 pandemic policy responses: where, when and how is ethical advice sought?
Pykett, Jessica, Ball, Sarah, Dingwall, Robert, Lepenies, Robert, Sommer, Theresa, Strassheim, Holger and Wenzel, Lars (2023). Ethical moments and institutional expertise in UK Government COVID-19 pandemic policy responses: where, when and how is ethical advice sought?. Evidence and Policy, 19 (2), 236-255. doi: 10.1332/174426421X16596928051179
2022
Book
The Australian policy handbook: a practical guide to the policymaking process
Althaus, Catherine, Ball, Sarah, Bridgman, Peter, Davis, Glyn and Threlfall, David (2022). The Australian policy handbook: a practical guide to the policymaking process. 7th ed. London, United Kingdom: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003351993
2022
Book
Behavioural public policy in Australia: how an idea became practice
Ball, Sarah (2022). Behavioural public policy in Australia: how an idea became practice. London, United Kingdom: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003290742
2022
Journal Article
Dramaturgy and crisis management: a third act
Ball, Sarah, McConnell, Allan and Stark, Alastair (2022). Dramaturgy and crisis management: a third act. Public Administration, 100 (3) padm.12775, 585-599. doi: 10.1111/padm.12775
2022
Journal Article
Can robots understand welfare? Exploring machine bureaucracies in welfare-to-work
Considine, Mark, McGann, Michael, Ball, Sarah and Nguyen, Phuc (2022). Can robots understand welfare? Exploring machine bureaucracies in welfare-to-work. Journal of Social Policy, 51 (3) PII S0047279422000174, 519-534. doi: 10.1017/s0047279422000174
2021
Journal Article
Knowledge coproduction: panacea or placebo? Lessons from an emerging policy partnership
Reddel, Tim and Ball, Sarah (2021). Knowledge coproduction: panacea or placebo? Lessons from an emerging policy partnership. Policy Design and Practice, 5 (2), 1-14. doi: 10.1080/25741292.2021.1992106
2021
Journal Article
Translating behavioral public policy into practice: Interpretations and traditions
Ball, Sarah (2021). Translating behavioral public policy into practice: Interpretations and traditions. Critical Policy Studies, 16 (3), 315-332. doi: 10.1080/19460171.2021.1973525
2020
Other Outputs
Behaviour change, rigorous evidence and public policy: an ethnography of the use of ‘behavioural insights’ in policy development by the Australian Federal Government
Ball, Sarah (2020). Behaviour change, rigorous evidence and public policy: an ethnography of the use of ‘behavioural insights’ in policy development by the Australian Federal Government. PhD Thesis, Institute for Social Science Research, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/uql.2020.886
2020
Other Outputs
Try, test and learn evaluation - interim report
Baxter, Janeen, Povey, Jenny, Burger, Sarah-Ann, Plage, Stefanie, Kennedy, Elizabeth, O'Flaherty, Martin, Tseng, Yi-Ping, Polidano, Cain, Kalb, Guyonne, Borland, Jeff, Ribar, David, Mamun, Abdullah, Ball, Sarah, Gramotnev, Alexandra, Bellotti, Melindy, Simpson Reeves, Laura, Tomaszewski, Wojtek and Western, Mark (2020). Try, test and learn evaluation - interim report. Brisbane, Australia: The University of Queensland.
2019
Journal Article
The boundaries of behavioural insights: observations from two ethnographic studies
Ball, Sarah and Feitsma, Joram (2019). The boundaries of behavioural insights: observations from two ethnographic studies. Evidence and Policy: A Journal of Research, Debate and Practice, 16 (4) https://doi.org/10.1332/174426419X15643724702722, 559-577. doi: 10.1332/174426419X15643724702722
2019
Other Outputs
A convergence study of emergency relief providers and recipients
Parsell, Cameron, Robinson, Richard, ten Have, Charlotte and Ball, Sarah (2019). A convergence study of emergency relief providers and recipients. Brisbane, QLD, Australia: Institute for Social Science Research.
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Sarah Ball is:
- Available for supervision
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Media
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