Globalization: The Essentials

by George Ritzer

Essentials of Globalization is a highly useful compact edition of the author's full-scale textbook, A Basic Text . The Essentials is written in a style accessible to undergraduates, and draws on both academic and popular sources in its explanations.

Genres: Nonfiction

356 pages, Paperback

First published November 29, 2010

About the author

George Ritzer is Distinguished University Professor at the University of Maryland. He has named at Distinguished-Scholar Teacher at Maryland and received the American Sociological Association’s Distinguished Contribution to Teaching Award. Among his academic awards are an Honorary Doctorate from La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia; Honorary Patron, University Philosophical Society, Trinity College, Dublin; and the 2012-2013 Robin William Lectureship from the Eastern Sociological Society. He has chaired four Sections of the American Sociological Association- Theoretical Sociology, Organizations and Occupations, first Chair of Global and Transnational Sociology, and the History of Sociology.
His books have been translated into over twenty languages, with over a dozen translations of The McDonaldization of Society alone.

Reviews

[Afomya Alemayehu · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was very hard to get through, the sheer size of the content seemed unsurmountable at times. Also, I wouldn't have read this if it wasn't required for my Global Affairs class. But I still thoroughly enjoyed what I learned and discovered through this book. It has given me a well-rounded understanding of Globalization in all its forms.

[Aslihan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel obliged to write a review for this book in case another professor would assign it as a required reading. This is probably the most shallow and superficial reading of globalization. First it is not well organized. Yes the theory and the micro cases are separated, however, the sections following the theory chapters are disorganized. There are several overlaps and repetitions in discussions that it is hard to believe the book is written and edited by one single person. Despite having a chapter on globalization and migration, the discussion of migration pops up again in relation to global inequality. Contemporary scholars of globalization are not well cited in the book so it's risky to use this book as a core reading material. Two stars for the McDonaldization thesis.