The globalization of nothing /
Globalisation of nothing
George Ritzer.
- xix, 259 pages ; 24 cm
Includes bibliographical references (pages 217-246) and index.
Nothing: A Brief (No Need to Be Lengthy) Introduction -- Conceptualizing Nothing (and Something) -- Meet the Nullities -- Globalization -- Grobalization-Glocalization and Something-Nothing -- The Ultimate Example of Nothing and Its Grobalization? Large-Scale Consumption Sites on the Internet -- A Few (by Necessity) Concluding Thoughts on Nothing (and Its Globalization) -- Concluding Thoughts on Globalization (and Nothing) -- Nothing - Theoretical and Methodological Issues. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. App.
"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," "thing/non-things," "people/non-people," and "service/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 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."--BOOK JACKET.