Major
Works by George Ritzer
Sociological
Theory
About this title:
Written by one of the foremost American
authorities on sociological theory, this market-leading text gives
readers a comprehensive overview of the major classical theorists and
contemporary schools of sociological thought. Arranged chronologically,
it spans the history of sociological theory from its inception to the
present. Key theories are integrated with biographical and
autobiographical sketches of the lives of theorists to place readings
in their personal and historical context for students. The fifth
edition has been thoroughly updated and revised to include a number of
sections on new developments in the field, such as theories of
consumption and the new means of consumption, multiculturalism, and
criticisms and applications of postmodernism and post-post modernism.
The
McDonaldization of Society
About this title:
"Ritzer's text is in a class by itself. I
can't think of another as insightful and enjoyable."
-- James D. Cover, Furman University
One of the most noteworthy and popular
Sociology books of all time, The McDonaldization of Society
demonstrates the power of the sociological imagination to today's
readers in a way that few books have been able to do. It is ideal for
use in a wide range of undergraduate courses and will be of equal
interest to anyone interested in social criticism. This book links a
large number of social phenomena to McDonaldization, some which are
directly affected by the principles of the fast-food restaurant and
others where the effect is more indirect.
The
Globalization of Nothing
About this title:
Taking the subject of
globalization in new directions, new terms such as "grobalization" (the
growing influence of, for example, American corporations throughout the
world) are introduced. 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.
Expressing
America: A Critique of the Global Credit Card Society
<>
About this title:
The explosive growth of consumer credit, as
well as the shift from cash to "plastic" in societies throughout the
world signals a transformation in social relations, which is the focus
of this book. For student readers who know the world of credit cards
all too well, this is a great way to interest and educate them on the
power of thinking sociologically.
Explorations in the
Sociology of Consumption
About this title:
In this book, one of the leading social
theorists and cultural commentators of modern times, turns his gaze on
consumption. George Ritzer, author of the famous McDonaldization
Thesis, demonstrates the irrational consequences of the rational desire
to consume and commodify. He examines how "McDonaldization" might be
resisted, and situates the reader in the new cultural spaces that are
emerging in society: shopping malls, casino hotels, Disneyfied theme
parks and Las Vegas, the new cathedrals of consumption' as he calls
them. The book shows how new processes of consumption relate to
globalization theory. In illuminating discussions of the work of
Thorstein Veblen and the French situationists, Ritzer unearths the
roots of problems of consumption in older sociological traditions. He
indicates how transgression is bound up with consumption, through an
investigation of the obscene in popular and postmodern culture.
Explorations in the Sociology of Consumption will be required reading
for students of sociology, cultural studies and anyone interested in
the pattern of consumption processes in contemporary society.
Enchanting
a Disenchanted World
"I like the fact that the book is
relatively even-handed - appreciating spectacle even while forcing
students to question critically the effects of consumption in their
lives and those of their fellow citizens."
--Gary Alan Fine, Northwestern University
"Enchanting a Disenchanted World is a tour de force. Drawing upon a
rich array of examples, George Ritzer provides an original and
insightful analysis of the new means of consumption and how they are
transforming our lives. . . . Analytically crisp, jargon free, and
packed with fresh illustrations, Enchanting a Disenchanted World is
equally effective as an engaging read for specialists and a lucid text
for classroom use. Highly recommended to scholars and students.
--Kevin Fox Gotham, Tulane University
"I think this is a great book! I have
enjoyed working with it, and so have my students. . . . I especially
like the chapters that deal with social theory. These chapters are very
effective in presenting social theory to students, as they contain very
clear and straightforward explanations of the ideas of otherwise very
complex and difficult social theorists.
--Ann Branaman, Florida Atlantic University
"Megamalls. Restaurant chains. Elaborate
casinos. Deluxe cruise ships. Enormous theme parks. Everywhere we turn,
there is a new place being constructed in which to spend money. The
Second Edition of Enchanting a Disenchanted World: Revolutionizing the
Means of Consumption examines the development of these settings, and
many others like them, in the last half century. Author George Ritzer
takes a look at how a revolutionary change has occurred in the places
in which we consume goods and services, andhow it has a profound effect
not only on the nature of consumption but also on social life. In the
process of taking capitalism to a new level, we have created new
"cathedrals of consumption"-locales to which we make pilgrimages in
order to practice our consumer religion.
The book offers rich detail on consuming in places such as Las Vegas,
Disney World, cruise ships, Wal-Mart, and McDonald's-all competing to
outdo one another to see which one can put on the greatest show and
lure the most consumers. Enchanting a Disenchanted World is a unique
analysis of the world of consumption, examining how we are different
consumers now than we were in the past, both in the U.S. and around the
world. In the process of understanding this social development, a wide
range of theoretical perspectives including Marxian, Weberian, critical
theory, and postmodern theory are applied. The book also looks at
concepts such as hyperconsumption, implosion, time and space, and
simulation. New to the Second Edition:
A new Chapter 7 has been added discussing "landscapes of consumption,"
or locales that encompass two or more cathedrals of consumption, giving
a broader geographic context to examine the changes in consumption
settings, their impact on the lure of consumption, and the pressure to
consume. A new section has been added to Chapter 3, devoted to the
historical importance of the early Parisian arcades and to the thinking
of the important social theorist, Walter Benjamin, on these sites. The
book has been thoroughly revised and updated and discusses the new big
players among the cathedrals of consumption, including Disney's
upcoming theme park in Hong Kong, the new QueenMary II, the soon-to-be
completed casino resort Wynn Las Vegas, and many more.
Enchanting a Disenchanted World connects the everyday world in a
sociological and theoretical way, making it an ideal text for a wide
range of undergraduate and graduate courses including introductory
sociology, sociology of consumption, social change, popular culture,
sociology of leisure, social theory, and economic sociology.
Modern
Sociological Theory
About this title:
Written by one of the foremost American
authorities on sociological theory, Modern Sociological Theory gives
readers a comprehensive overview of the history of modern sociological
thought, as well as an analysis of the most important contemporary
schools and new theoretical orientations. Organized chronologically,
this text begins with a synopsis of the formative years and concludes
with the emergence of postmodern (and even post-post modern) social
theory, integrating key theories with biographical and autobiographical
sketches of the lives of theorists to place readings in their personal
and historical context. The fifth edition has been thoroughly updated
and revised to include a number of sections on new developments in the
field, such as theories of consumption and the new means of
consumption, multiculturalism, criticisms and applications of
postmodernism, and post-post modernism.
Return
to George Ritzer's Rationalization Theory
Dr.
Elwell's Home Page
|