Consuming or consumed? Postdigital McDonaldization for human sustainability

Hayes, S ORCID: 0000-0001-8633-0155 and Jandrić, P (2025) 'Consuming or consumed? Postdigital McDonaldization for human sustainability.' Thesis Eleven. (Forthcoming)

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Abstract

A concept which took Max Weber’s classic theory of the rationalisation of the West and adapted it in 1993 to fast-food restaurants seems an unlikely contender to be informing us on human and global sustainability three decades later. Yet in a in postdigital society, Ritzer’s primary components of McDonaldization may hold more relevance than ever. In our tribute to George Ritzer, we notice how McDonaldization sheds light on how human beings now interact with data both online and offline, as willing prosumers, within a web of Artificial Intelligence. In celebration of Ritzer’s career, we highlight the ongoing sustainability of his McDonaldization thesis and stress its importance for building a more just and a more sustainable future.

Item Type:	Article
Note:	This article is part of a special issue of the journal published as a Festschrift for Professor George Ritzer.
Keywords:	George Ritzer, McDonaldization, prosumerism, postdigital, irrationality of rationality, artificial intelligence, McUniversity, McPolicy, McSustainability, McJustice
Divisions:	School of Education
Date Deposited:	12 Jun 2025 12:12
Last Modified:	12 Jun 2025 12:12
ISSN:	0725-5136
URI / Page ID:	https://researchspace.bathspa.ac.uk/id/eprint/17110

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