Topic #11 McDonalization, Structuration
During this section we will talk about more contemporary theories of society proposed in the las few years. We will talk about the McDonalization of society and where we are headed as a society. We will address the issue of globalization and also social change. We will also talk about the idea of structuration.
Globalization in sociology refers to the widening, deepening, and speeding up of worldwide interconnectedness across all areas of social life — economic, cultural, political, and technological. The core idea is that events, decisions, and social processes in one part of the world increasingly shape and are shaped by events far away.
Globalization is the intensification of worldwide social relations that link distant localities, so that local happenings are influenced by events occurring across the globe — and vice versa. This definition is most closely associated with sociologist Anthony Giddens.
There is not really one idea on globalization. It is A set of processes leading to the integration of economic, cultural, political, and social systems across geographical boundaries. The process involves the movement toward markets or policies that transcend national borders. There are some theorist that argue that globalization doesn't really exists. (Skeptics vs Radicals)
•A set of processes leading to the integration of economic, cultural, political, and social systems across geographical boundaries.
•the movement toward markets or policies that transcend national borders
Giddens’ theory of structuration argues that in order to understand society, one cannot look only at the actions of individuals or the social forces that maintain the society. Instead, it is both that shape our social reality. He contends that although people are not entirely free to choose their own actions, and their knowledge is limited, they nonetheless are the agency that reproduces the social structure and lead to social change.
Globalization, as described by Giddens, is a process that is more than just economics. It is “the intensification of world-wide social relationships which link distant localities in such a way that local happenings are shaped by distant events and, in turn, distant events are shaped by local happenings.” Giddens argues that globalization is the natural consequence of modernity and will lead to the reconstruction of modern institutions.
According to Ritzser, in the 1980s and 1990s McDonaldization has extended its reach into more and more regions of society, and those areas are increasingly remote from the heart of the fast-food business." (Ritzer 1994:137) In other words the society is being modeled after the McDonalds operating structure. Ritzer advances Weber's idea of rationalization.
In Sociology this theory draws attention to several issues;
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Dehumanization — individuals become part of mechanized systems.
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Global homogenization — cultural diversity replaced by standardized consumption.
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Resistance and adaptation — emergence of “de‑McDonaldization” movements emphasizing authenticity and localism.
