The Globalization of Nothing [Paperback]

George Ritzer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 17, 2003 | ISBN-10: 0761988076 | ISBN-13: 978-0761988076

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). 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.

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.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The book makes a clear, interesting, and compelling argument and it certainly contributes to our understanding of modern culture and society."

 

 

(Celestino Fernández )

“The author does an excellent job in describing and explaining nothing, something, grobalization, glocalization, globalization, and their interrelations. Examples are drawn closely from life. They are touchable and powerfully illustrative. The discussion flows well and the text is highly readable.”

(Victor N. Shaw )

“The book will make a valuable contribution to literature. . . . This book continues the trajectory of McDonalization by providing a more sophisticated analytical frame to interpret globalization.”

 

(Douglas H. Constance )

“The book’s strength is that it takes a look at the big picture and is not timid in developing a case for the nothing/something continuum and the increasing globalization of nothing.  We have an insufficient number of books in sociology that take on big agendas.”

 

(Steve Zehr )

"The Globalization of Nothing is a brilliant essay that develops revolutionary ideas based on sharp, penetrating observations. This book is truly the product of a "sociological eye." I do no exaggerate when I use the term "revolutionary." The author presents a phenomenon--or set of phenomena--that stretch sociology's phenomenological field. . . . After you become aware of nothing, you need to rethink the world and the way you look at it." 

 

 

(Hernan Vera )

"The Globalization of Nothing is one of the most original analyses of forces operating in the world today. The production and distribution of "nothing" or social formations that are centrally conceived, controlled and comparatively devoid of distinctive content represents a new way to address many of the issues raised by postmodern theory (without all of the jargon and anti-science rhetoric) and world systems theory (without the hoped for collapse of capitalism). It is critical but not shrill. It forces the reader to look at the contemporary work in a new way. The book is highly readable and engaging. It has something to say to the scholar, student, and layperson.”

 

(Jonathan Turner )

“George Ritzer’s The Globalization of Nothing provides a highly original take on globalization that illuminates aspects of globalization neglected in standard works. Ritzer produces a wide range of categories, some original, to delineate how globalization produces massification, homogenization, and standardization of consumer products and practices and thus produces a worthy successor to his books The McDonalization of Society and Enchanting a Disenchanted World: Revolutionizing the Means of Consumption.”

(Douglas Kellner )

"The Globalization of Nothing is an articulate economic thesis by Professor George Ritzer that articulately postulates the short and long-term effects of globalization. . . The Globalization of Nothing is a philosophical and clarion warning regarding the creeping and homogenizing impersonality of severe economic forces."

(THE MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW )

"Readers will come away from this revision with not only a new way of looking at globalization but also a sense of the problems posted by the globalization of nothing and the need to find ways to deal with its pernicious aspects."                                               
                                                                                                                  -SIRREADALOT.ORG (Savannah Jones )

About the Author

George Ritzer is Distinguished University Professor at the University of Maryland, where he has also been a Distinguished Scholar-Teacher and won a Teaching Excellence Award. He was awarded the 2000 distinguished Contributions to Teaching Award by the American Sociological Association and an honorary doctorate from LaTrobe University in australia. He is best-known for The McDonaldization of Society (translated into over a dozen languages) and McDonaldization: The Reader 3 as well as several related books, including expressing America: A Critique of the Global Credit Card Society, Enchanting a Disenchanted World 3, The Globalization of Nothing 2, Globalization: A Basic Text, and The Outsourcing of Everything (forthcoming, with Craig Lair). He is the Editor of the Encyclopedia of Social Theory (2 vols.), the Encyclopedia of Sociology (11 vols.), is currently editing the Encyclopedia of Globalization (5 vols.), and is Founding Editor of the Journal of Consumer Culture.

Product Details

• Paperback: 280 pages
• Publisher: Sage Publications, Inc (July 17, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761988076
• ISBN-13: 978-0761988076
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,761,298 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ritzer's Best, by far, May 6, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: The Globalization of Nothing (Paperback)

This is a thoughtful, rich, critical, engaging analysis. I was pleasantly surprised. I had major problems with his famous McDonalization of Society -- I thought it was pretty thin, extremely redundant, and gave short-shrift to the profit motive. Furthermore, Ritzer kept re-packing the same ideas in various publications. I was jealous of all the money he was making, but not impressed in terms of scholarly innovation. When I saw this book, I thought: oh, no, here we go again: slick title, slick cover....another money maker for Ritzer and shallow analysis for us. WRONG. Even picking this book up with enormous skepticism, I was totally engaged. This is great stuff. He not only explains his observations carefully, but his analysis of WHY the trend under scrunity is happening is solid. And he gives credit where credit is due -- to Marx, in this case. Good for Ritzer.
Ritzer's argument is that products, places, and services that are locally constructed, locally controlled, and full of distinct and special qualities are vanishing. What are proliferating and ever-increasing are products, places, and services that are centrally constructed, centrally controlled, and lacking distinct or special qualities. But he goes beyond this observation and really tries to EXAPLIN it. His critiques of the profit-motive are strong and right on the mark. Sure, there were many things I disagreed with in this book, and things I would take exception to. But ultimately this was solid scholarship, piercing and profound social theory, and a great leap forward for one of sociology's most productive scholars.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A philosophical and clarion warning, December 12, 2003

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Globalization of Nothing (Paperback)

The Globalization Of Nothing is an articulate economic thesis by Professor George Ritzer (University of Maryland) that articulately postulates the short and long-term effects of globalization. Claiming that societies worldwide are moving away from "something" (defined as unique and distinctive indigenous social forms), toward the "nothing" (globalized products that are centrally controlled and blandly the same worldwide), The Globalization Of Nothing warns that societies all over the world today are rapidly losing unique customs, local businesses, gathering places, even the hallmark of personal interaction. The Globalization Of Nothing is a philosophical and clarion warning regarding the creeping and homogenizing impersonality of severe economic forces.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Nothing or junk?, July 30, 2007

By 

Dr Karl - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Globalization of Nothing (Paperback)

Ritzer's heart is in the right place. As a critique of globalization and the destruction it causes, his book offers powerful insights. But Ritzer cannot resist the cliche and the clever clever rhetorical device that undermine his case. Worse - his narcissistic delight with using words in a manner meant to shock. In this book the word 'nothing' is asked to work beyond what the English language allows it to do. The emperor is unfortunately wearing far from nothing. He is well-clad, and sets the trends for others to follow. Globalization is destroying local traditions, lifestyles, practices and habits, not because it trades in nothing, but because it trades in seriously harmful junk.