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The McDonaldization Thesis
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The McDonaldization Thesis
Explorations and Extensions



February 1998 | 224 pages | SAGE Publications Ltd
Few recent sociology books have succeeded in capturing the imagination more than George RitzerÆs The McDonaldization of Society, which has become an international bestseller and has been translated into eleven languages. The book stimulated thought and discussion throughout the sociological community. In this sequel, Ritzer moves on by examining how the thesis of McDonaldization should be adapted and extended. WeberÆs ideas provided the theoretical foundation for the thesis, but the ideas of Kurt Mannheim on rationalization are also useful and lead to some new perspectives on the process. The degree to which sociology and sociological theory have been McDonaldized are also assessed. In Part II, Ritzer discusses the process of McDonaldization. Areas scrutinized include the labor process and the degree to which it has been McDonaldized, the relationship between McDonaldization and processes such as globalization and Americanization, and the credit card. Part III presents the new means of consumption. These include fast-food restaurants, credit cards, shopping malls, and cybermalls. Ritzer introduces us to "McDisneyization," explaining the role of Disney in contemporary tourism. The modern universityùthe McUniversityùis also discussed as a new means of educational consumption. The book concludes with a reevaluation of the thesis and its future.

 
Introduction: McDonaldization and Beyond
 
THEORETICAL ISSUES
 
Mannheim's Theory of Rationalization
An Alternative Resource for the McDonaldization Thesis?

 
 
The McDonaldization of American Sociology
A Metasociological Analysis

 
 
Munch(ing) on the McDonald(ization) of Social Theory
 
THE EXPANSION OF MCDONALDIZATION
 
McJobs
McDonaldization and its Relationship to the Labor Process

 
 
McDonaldization
The New American Menace

 
 
Globalization, McDonaldization and Americanization
 
Credit Cards, Fast-Food Restaurants and Increasing Rationalization
 
THE NEW MEANS OF CONSUMPTION
 
The New Means of Consumption
A Postmodern Analysis

 
 
`McDisneyization' and `Post-Tourism'
Complementary Perspectives on Contemporary Tourism

 
 
McUniversity in the Postmodern Consumer Society
 
Dealing with the New Means of Consumption
 
MCDONALDIZATION REDUX
 
Some Concluding Thoughts on the McDonaldization Thesis

`Ritzer here revisits and extends the ground-breaking theory he first fully expounded in 1993 in The McDonaldisation of Society, since when he has published a number of papers which take the thesis further and on which this book builds....

This is exciting, readable, provocative modern sociology that sets out to challenge the dominant trends in the construction of our brave new global world....

His work constitutes a serious academic challenge from within the very heartland of McDonaldisation and I highly recommend it to those who want to gain a perspective on post-modern society (and

sociology)' - Self & Society

`The new book will underline the importance and usefulness of the concept of McDonaldization and I fully expect that it will become a standard topic for years to come.. Fascinating, it will make an ideal focus for lectures, seminars and so on' - Alan Bryman, Loughborough University

``McDonaldization' I came to appreciate long ago - it is by now a household term!' Professor Zygmunt Bauman, Department of Sociology, University of Leeds.

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