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Abstract

This paper explores Ritzer's analytical innovation in offering McDonaldization as a concept that avoids the macro–micro divide. This dichotomy was ascendant for much of the post-war period. Ritzer's pioneering work on meta-theory did much to loosen its grip on sociological work. Meta-theory is the handmaiden of McDonaldization. The paper seeks to draw out some links because they have not generally been explored in the secondary literature. McDonaldization is conceived as a process in which local and global alternate and intersect. Ritzer's concept of grobalization is used to demonstrate the gains in analysis compared with ‘Fordism’ which tended to reproduce the macro/micro distinction in an uncritical manner. Ritzer might be said to be a far more critical theorist in holding that evidentiary analysis should leave no doors closed and presuppose no permanent theoretical advantage in the ‘global’ over the ‘local’.

Publication Type:	Article
Additional Information:	© The Author(s) 2025. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access page (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).
Publisher Keywords:	Fordism, McDonaldization, grobalization
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General) H Social Sciences > HM Sociology
Departments:	School of Policy & Global Affairs School of Policy & Global Affairs > Department of Sociology & Criminology
SWORD Depositor:	Symplectic Administrator

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