Resisting McDonaldizationBarry Smart George Ritzer's McDonaldization thesis argued that contemporary life is succumbing to the standardization, flexibility and practicability of fast-food service. This book brings together specially commissioned papers by leading social and cultural analysts to engage in a critical appraisal of the thesis. The contributors discuss the roots of the thesis, the rationalization of late modern life, the effects of increasing cultural commodification, the continuing prominence of American cultural and economic imperialism and the impact of globalization on social and cultural life. The strengths and weaknesses of the McDonaldization thesis are clearly evaluated and the irrational consequences of rationalization are pinpointed and critically |
Contents
McDonaldization and | 22 |
Have You Had Your Theory Today? | 41 |
McDonaldization Enframed | 57 |
McDonalds and Modern Life | 70 |
Risk Coolness and Irony in Contemporary | 83 |
Theme Parks and McDonaldization | 101 |
The McDonaldization of Sport and Leisure | 116 |
The End of Communication? | 135 |
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Common terms and phrases
advertising American analysis animals argue argument art world artists associated audience audio-animatronic Barry Sanders Bauman Beck Beck's become beef Bryman bureaucracy burgers capitalism chapter commodities complex consumer consumption contemporary corporate create critical critique cultural products Dennis Hopper Disney diversity eating economic efficiency ethical example experience fact factory farming fast-food industry fast-food restaurant Fordism formal rationality George Ritzer global hamburger Holocaust Hopper human hyperreal increasingly individual involved iron cage ization Jary Kellner labour logic London Marx mass McDonald's Corporation McDonaldiza McDonaldization of Society McDonaldization thesis McLibel meal means meat Michael Jordan modern moral Nike O'Neill offers organization perspective phenomenon political popular postmodern practices predictability process of McDonaldization resistance risk society Ritzer Ritzer's account self-taught art sense Singer social sociology sport and leisure standardization suggests taste theme parks theory tion traditional vegetarianism Weber Weberian York