The McDonaldization of society - George Ritzer

As one of the most noteworthy and popular sociology books of all time, The McDonaldization of Society 6 demonstrates the power of the sociological imagination to 21st century undergraduates in a way that few other books have. This engaging work of social criticism is praised for sparking debate in and out of the classroom and for allowing students to read in depth on a small number of fascinating topics, and it vividly demonstrates the relevance of Webers discussion of rationalization (the basis of McDonaldization) to the everyday life of todays student.

New and Retained Features:

Links a large number of social phenomena to McDonaldization, some which are directly impacted by the principles of the fast-food chain and others where the effect is more tenuous

A new final chapter (10) on The DeMcDonaldization of Society? examines the processes of deMcDonaldization and concludes that while it is occurring on the surface, McDonaldization is alive and well for example, in the structures that underlie Web 2.0+ Many new and updated examples are from the digital world, keeping the text ultimately relevant for the contemporary student reader

Addresses the advantages of McDonaldization, then focuses on the problems and dangers it poses and looks at efforts to deal with those challenges

Examines the link between McDonaldization and globalization

Challenges the reader to rethink McDonaldization as part of the structure of society and to act to reverse the trend towards it