The McDonaldization of Society

Review
"This well-written title is a theoretically based work in social criticism. . . . McDonald's and its clones have created a positive public image, but Ritzer gives the public discourse a little balance by focusing on the problems created, and the dangers posed, by the process. . . . Ritzer asks: "Does it all amount to . . . Nothing?" (cf. his Globalization of Nothing, 2004). The last chapter on dealing with McDonaldization is thought-provoking. . . . Highly recommended."


Review
"Ritzer’s texts is in a class by itself. I can’t think of another as insightful and enjoyable." 


Book Description
"The book provides a theoretical and analytical framework that both reflects reality and helps college students understand the reality of the world in which they grew up, live in, and are likely to continue to experience not only in the United States but throughout the world."                                                                      -Celestino Fernandez, University of Arizona "I love this book; it is a contemporary classic. . . . I would certainly use this book in an undergraduate theory course."                                                                   -Philip Cohen, University of California, Irvine "From my viewpoint, what I need is a book that spurs debate and stimulates critical thinking among my students, particularly on the societal consequences of rationalization. Ritzer’s book does exactly this. The strengths of the book are its connection to "real life" as well as the possibility of using it as a platform for discussing business practices seen from the viewpoint of citizens, rather than managers. . . . I would surely adopt its new edition and use it in a wide range of courses."                                                              -Angelo Fanelli, University of Florida, Gainesville "I use this book in an introductory level social problems and public policy course. The book is also used in my department in many sections of introduction to sociology. It works well in introductory level courses. . . . It is a good book and has been a great teaching tool. I find the book helps students to see rationalized environments where they could not see them before. Vision is a good thing. . . . the book still has a long shelf life ahead."                                                                                -Kurt F. Cylke, SUNY Geneseo "This is an important book. Its wide recognition is well deserved. Its central strength is the clarity and brevity with which it makes accessible an extraordinarily important and complex process shaping the postmodern world."                                                                 -Peter Hoffman, Loyola Marymount University "I am impressed with the amount of examples the author has gathered from around the world for the book. Examples are current, interesting, and illustrative. They mesh well with the text and help enormously in explicating complex processes underlying McDonaldization."                                                          -Victor Shaw, California State University, Northridge One of the most popular Sociology books of all time has been thoroughly updated to examine how McDonaldization has roared into the 21st century. The McDonaldization of Society, Revised New Century Edition, discusses how McDonaldization and the broader process of globalization (in a new Chapter 8), are spreading more widely and more deeply into various social institutions such as education, medicine, the criminal justice system, and more. This Revised New Century Edition provides many new, relevant examples from recent events and contemporary popular culture, including the ever-increasing global proliferation of McDonald’s and other fast food franchises, shopping malls, and similar commercial entities. Their impact is examined in the post-September 11, 2001 era. The McDonaldization of Society is ideal for use in a wide range of higher-education courses and will be of equal value to anyone interested in social criticism. The book offers readers new insight into the society they are constructing around them and will be sure to spark debate in and out of the classroom. To read a sample chapter from The McDonaldization of Society click on "Additional Materials" in the left column under "About This Book" or simply click here.


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"McDonaldization" is a paradigm for "the process by which the principles of the fast-food restaurant are coming to dominate more and more sectors of American society as well as the rest of the world," in the words of Ritzer (sociology, U. of Maryland), spreading even into institutions such education, medicine, and the criminal justice system. He identifies the four rationalist principles of efficiency, calculability, predictability, and control as the dimensions that lie at the heart of the fast-food model, describing how they have become nearly ubiquitous through society. Unfortunately, there are a number of irrationalities spawned by the rationality of McDonaldization, most notable of which is dehumanization. He also discusses efforts to combat the effects of McDonaldization and the phenomenon itself. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR


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