Ritzer, George : University of Maryland, College Park, MD
Summary
In a world increasingly festooned with familiar logos -- from the hallmark swoosh on a designer tennis shoe
to an amusement park's infamous mouse ears -- it is clear that these symbols are not merely decorative, but represent
important changes in our social milieu. The proliferation of credit card offers, automated banking services, and
globally recognizable brand names illustrate significant changes in the realm of social consumption: a trajectory
toward a world of increasingly dehumanized services and empty places and things.
George Ritzer theorizes in his provocative new book, The Globalization of Nothing, that the "grand narrative"
or social story of this period is a movement from "something" to "nothing." Building on but
going beyond his renowned McDonaldization thesis, Ritzer contends that societies around the globe continue to move
away from "something," defined as a social form that is generally indigenously conceived, locally controlled,
and rich in distinctive content. He argues that we are moving toward "nothing" -- that which is centrally
controlled and conceived and relatively devoid of distinctive substance. It is in the movement toward the globalization
of "nothing" that "something" is lost. More than likely, that "something" is an indigenous
custom, a local store, a familiar gathering place, or simply personalized interaction. Thus, the central problem
in the world today is defined as "loss amidst monumental abundance (of nothing)".
The Globalization of Nothing takes the subject of globalization in new directions, introducing terms such as "grobalization"
(the growing influence of, for example, American corporations throughout the world). The key conflict in the world
today is viewed as that between the grobalization of nothing and the glocalization of something. This book is structured
around four sets of concepts addressing this issue: "places/non-places," "things/non-things,"
"people/non-people," and "services/non-services." By drawing upon salient examples from everyday
life, George Ritzer invites the reader to examine the nuances of these concepts in conjunction with the paradoxes
within the process of the globalization of nothing. Why is it that those who produce "nothing" for major
multinational corporations often cannot afford that which they produce? Why do so many of us seem to be enraptured
with our favorite brands or with our credit cards? What are the social implications of the increasing "globalization
of nothing" for medicine, education, and tourism? Critical questions are raised throughout the book and the
reader is compelled not only to seek answers to these questions, but to critically evaluate the questions as well
as their answers.
The Globalization of Nothing is ideal as a primary or supplemental text for courses in sociology, anthropology,
communication, business, and related disciplines. This book is also recommended for anyone interested in the critical
study of contemporary social phenomena.
Features:
An expansion of many of the themes in McDonaldization of Society, done on a broader, global scale.
Ritzer's definition of "nothingness" - shopping malls, fast food, etc.- has been widely adopted in
sociological thought, so the concept will resonate with adopters of his previous books.
Globalization is THE hot issue in the social sciences and the popular press these days. Thus, there is a broad,
multi-disciplinary audience for this new book.
Written in a non-technical and accessible style, it would be heavy on examples and case studies. It would draw
on serious theory, but the discussion of it would be non-technical. Like Ritzer's previous books, Globalization
of Nothing, will have topics and examples of inherent interest to undergraduates.
