The Globalization of Nothing
Author: George Ritzer
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.
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Nike Culture: The Sign of the Swoosh
Author: Stephen Papson
Is advertising changing the way we think about society and ourselves? Does the sign-world of advertising inevitably fuse fantasy with commodities? These are central questions in the sociology of advertising. Most studies deal with them by presenting broad sweeping surveys of theory and ad culture. This is one of the first studies to take an in-depth look at how an advertising image works. It exposes the psychology, sociology, culture and semiotics of the Nike swoosh logo. Nike Culture argues that contemporary society is, above all, a sign economy. The more that signifiers resonate through the intended audiences, the more economically successful the corporation will be. Blending themes of empowerment, transcendence and irreverence, the advertising campaign launches by Nike promoted the company to the top of the sports shoe and apparel industry. Its swoosh logo is now globally pervasive and Nike has become synonymous with sports culture. Nike Culture describes and deconstructs the themes and structures of Nike advertising, outlines the contradictions between image and practice, and explores the logic of the sign economy. In addition, by focusing in issues revolving around race, class and gender, the desire for both community and recognition, and the construction of sport as a spiritual enterprise, the book offers insights into the cultural contradictions embedded in sports culture. Engrossing and illuminating, Nike Culture provides a wealth of detail harnessed to an authoritative analysis. This book will be required reading on courses in sociology, media studies and cultural studies.
Table of Contents:
| Preface | ||
| Acknowledgments | ||
| 1 | Suddenly the Swoosh is Everywhere | 1 |
| 2 | Just Metacommunicate It | 24 |
| 3 | Nike and the Construction of a Celebrity Democracy | 46 |
| 4 | Reflexivity and Irreverence | 74 |
| 5 | Alienation, Hope and Transcendence: Determinism or Determination? | 94 |
| 6 | Transcending Difference? Representing Women in Nike's World | 118 |
| 7 | There are Many Paths to Heaven | 146 |
| 8 | "Just Do It," but not on My Planet | 169 |
| Index | 187 |
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