Issue 191, December 2025

Celebrating George Ritzer: Essays in honor of a sociological visionary

Guest Editor: J Michael Ryan

Interview with J Micheal Ryan about the issue: Ritzer’s Reach: Timely Reflections on a Global Sociological Legacy

Articles

George Ritzer: The man, the sociologist, the legend

J. Michael Ryan

This Festschrift honors the enduring legacy of George Ritzer, one of sociology’s most influential and recognizable figures. Ritzer’s scholarship has helped shape core areas of the discipline—ranging from consumption and social theory to globalization and beyond—while also generating new conceptual terrains such as McDonaldization, prosumption, and the study of “nothing” and “something.” The Festschrift opens with a biographical essay authored by Ritzer himself, highlighting his unconventional path to becoming one of the leading figures in sociology. Beyond his published work, Ritzer has shaped the field through founding key academic outlets, editing influential reference works, mentoring numerous scholars, and inspiring broad audiences by translating complex ideas from the ivory tower into concepts that can be more easily understood.

My career…

George Ritzer

Honoring George Ritzer: McDonalidizing the unMcDonaldizable?

J. Michael Ryan

George Ritzer has heralded many of the most field-defining works in the discipline of sociology today. I have known, and worked with, George for nearly all of my adult life. During that time, he has been my professor, my advisor, my co-author, and my friend. Throughout all of my work, and teaching, and personal life, George has always been present. This essay will attempt to honor George Ritzer, both as a global scholar and as a personal mentor, through the lens of some of the fields—metatheory, McDonaldization, globalization, consumption, prosumption—where he has made some of his own most influential contributions.

Teaching and Mentorship

Exemplifying mentorship for working-class first-generation scholars

Paul Dean

In this Festschrift article, I reflect on Dr George Ritzer’s teaching and mentorship of working-class, first-generation students. As a graduate student, my working-class background gave me significant imposter syndrome. While one might expect George’s accomplishments and prestige to have contributed to such feelings, he was actually one of the most down-to-earth and approachable faculty members I encountered, who took the time to nurture me as a developing scholar. George instilled in us, as first-generation students, a love and mastery of social theory, theoretical contributions upon which we could develop, and a passion for and commitment to public sociology. He modeled relatability and humility as a world-renowned academic. I further outline how I believe George’s own working-class, first-generation origins informed his style of teaching and mentorship to support students from similar roots.

Pedagogical reflections and practices: George Ritzer’s contributions to keeping sociology relevant

Wendy Wiedenhoft Murphy

George Ritzer’s contributions to the discipline of sociology are numerous, but perhaps one of his most important legacies will be inspiring the next generation of sociologists to keep it relevant and ensure it flourishes. He has introduced—and more importantly astutely articulated—classical and contemporary sociological theory to countless students since the first edition of Sociological Theory was published in 1983. His theory about the process of McDonaldization has captured the attention of even more students as it has become a requisite topic in most introductory sociology textbooks. More specialized students have been able to study in depth his pioneering work on consumer society and prosumption. The article offers pedagogical reflections about the significance of George’s work on sociological theory, McDonaldization, consumer society, and prosumption. In addition, it outlines several teaching exercises that instructors who teach these topics may find helpful to engage their students.

Honouring George Ritzer: Reading Ritzer and developing as an interdisciplinary semiotician

Andrew Mark Creighton

This Festschrift text presents my experiences with George Ritzer’s writings, mainly regarding how they ‘mentored’ and influenced my own relationship to sociology and wider academics. I demonstrate this impact by discussing the influence of Ritzer’s texts on my personal development as a student. I also examine some of the sociologist’s key concepts and their paramount position within my PhD work on McDonaldization, enchantment, animals and semiotics; his work helped guide my research, which is essentially a synthesis of the sociologist’s and zoosemiotic theory. Lastly, the text brings attention to the importance of Ritzer’s writings being relatable, critical and an important means to understanding contemporary societies.

McDonald’s changed the world, McDonaldization changed sociology

Deborah J. Cohan

This article showcases two central points: (a) how George Ritzer’s groundbreaking concept of McDonaldization is the epitome of good public sociology; and (b) how courses such as ‘Introduction to Sociology’ and ‘Sociological Theory’ are deeply enriched when teaching and learning this theory. Using examples and case studies from my own classes, this article draws on students’ interpretations of Ritzer’s work, revealing how his conceptual framework inspires their ability to think critically, creatively, and sociologically about topics such as the childbirth industry, breast cancer, and its resultant pink-washing, as well as other issues related to their professional and personal lives.

Theory

Fordism, McDonaldization and the virtues of Ritzer’s disciplined eclecticism

Chris Rojek

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’.

Fordism and modernity: Ritzer and Bauman, Ritzer and me

Peter Beilharz

This contribution to the Thesis Eleven Festschrift for George Ritzer works on two different themes or levels of engagement and appreciation. First, I revisit Ritzer’s McDonaldization thesis with reference to Bauman’s in Modernity and the Holocaust. In this article I am concerned to draw special attention to the theme of Fordism, which I argue is central to both thinkers, and, indeed, central to modernity and modern times. Second, I narrate the more personal dimension of my relationship with George, which became a highly productive working relationship alongside an intellectual relationship of mutual respect and inspiration.

Cathedrals, consumption, prosumption and space: Reading Ritzer with atmosphere theory

Jeffrey Stepnisky

In this article I discuss George Ritzer’s theory of space and place through the lens of atmosphere theory. Drawing on Peter Sloterdijk, Gernot Böhme and Jahani Pallasmaa, I outline the assumptions of atmosphere theory and their relevance to Ritzer’s analysis of the ‘cathedrals of consumption.’ Though Ritzer never explicitly theorizes atmosphere there are many places in Enchanting a Disenchanted World: Continuity and Change in the Cathedrals of Consumption where he describes the cathedrals using atmospheric language and concepts, especially emphasizing that cathedrals use atmosphere, or ambience, to manipulate consumers. I conclude with a discussion of how Ritzer’s more recent work on prosumption can contribute to atmosphere theory.

George Ritzer and theory’s banquet years

Peter Kivisto

During the 1970s and 1980s, much of George Ritzer’s work focused on topics of interest to professional sociologists, but not to the public at large. His work on sociology as a multiple paradigm science, his engagement with what were then lively debates about the micro-macro linkage, and his development of the idea of metatheory are among the topics reviewed. Moreover, his ambitions for the future of sociological theory are compared with the contemporaneous work of Jeffrey C. Alexander and Anthony Giddens.

Theory that works

Kornelia Hahn

What makes a theory work? If there is an excellent example of a theory that works, then it is George Ritzer’s McDonaldization thesis. Its success can be attributed to Ritzer’s exploration of a different way of theorising that can be seen as consistent with his biography and lifestyle – perhaps a best practice model. As a result, the McDonaldization thesis is taken as an analytical scheme that has not only framed many innovative and relevant questions, but has also generated important answers. This paper, however, does not discuss the content of this famous work, but is inspired by the author’s encounters with Ritzer.

McDonaldization

McDonaldization, analysis and critique

Barry Smart

The focus of my contribution is on George Ritzer’s McDonaldization thesis, his analysis of the ways of working and processes introduced by McDonald’s fast-food franchise and engagement with relevant aspects of the work of Max Weber on processes of rationalization. Critical consideration is given to the ‘iron cage’ metaphor and associated matters of translation, economic imperatives driving processes of McDonaldization, and associated environmental consequences.

Fries with that degree? Understanding the McDonaldization of higher education

Dennis Hayes

After four decades, Ritzer’s metaphor of ‘McDonaldization’ remains a popular way of understanding the stifling bureaucratization and consequent dearth of creativity and critical thought in universities across the globe. But if Ritzer’s original characterization of the dehumanizing, factory-like, computer-controlled university was a sufficient and convincing explanation higher education would have taken note and changed. The metaphor would then be redundant. What keeps the McDonaldization metaphor going is an ingredient Ritzer neglected – the therapeutic turn in higher education. The therapeutic turn may seem new and separate from McDonaldization, but it is a powerful complementary force without which students would not be ‘lovin it’ at university.

McDonaldization: Reviving classical sociological theory

Uri Ram

Since its modest launching in the early 1960s, McDonald’s Corporation has become one of the greatest food retailers on earth, operating in 41,822 restaurant outlets in 119 countries worldwide and serving over 70 million customers daily. In the early 1980s, George Ritzer, a sociologist, turned ‘McDonaldization’ into a concept which decrypts the elementary societal forms of late-20th-century modernity: efficiency, calculability, predictability and technological control. McDonaldization has become not only a dominant managerial practice, but also a civilizational icon. Ritzer rallies to his aid classical sociological theorists, first and foremost Max Weber, but also Emile Durkheim and Karl Marx, and altogether he offers a wide-range survey of how global, local and glocal (as well as ‘grobal’) processes shape present-day society.

Consuming or consumed? Postdigital McDonaldization for human sustainability

Sarah Hayes and Petar Jandrić

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 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.

Consumption / Prosumption

Bridging globalization and digital society: George Ritzer’s insights on prosumption and the working consumer

P. Degli Esposti

This article explores George Ritzer’s sociological contributions to understanding labour and consumption in the digital age. Central to his analysis are the concepts of McDonaldization and prosumption, which reveal how consumer roles have merged with productive labour across physical and digital realms. Ritzer illustrates how globalization and digital technologies − especially Web 2.0 and artificial intelligence − externalize labour onto users, turning them into unpaid content creators and data producers. The rise of platform economies and ‘working consumers’ blurs the boundaries between work and consumption, while corporate rationalization continues through models such as Amazonization. Ritzer’s theoretical tools, including the nothing/something continuum and instrumental rationality, help unpack these complex transformations. His work offers a critical lens to analyse how contemporary capitalism exploits user participation, commodifies data, and reshapes agency in an increasingly algorithm-driven society.

Production, consumption, prosumption: How George Ritzer shifted the conversation in sociology from work to consumption and beyond

Christopher Andrews

This reflection traces the intellectual legacy of George Ritzer and his profound impact on the sociology of consumption, beginning with The McDonaldization of Society. Ritzer shifted focus from work and production to consumption, critiquing modern life through themes of rationalization, self-service, and the blurring of production–consumption boundaries. His work on credit cards, “cathedrals of consumption,” and globalization helped expose the dehumanizing effects of mass consumerism. Ritzer’s later writing on “nothing” and “something” further highlighted the spread of impersonal global forms of consumption. Most recently, his work on “prosumption” reflects the increasing expectation for consumers to perform unpaid labor. Drawing from this body of work, the author applies Ritzer’s theories to self-checkout lanes and self-service technologies, emphasizing their broader social, economic, and legal implications. Ultimately, Ritzer’s contributions remain foundational for understanding consumption’s central role in modern society and continue to inspire new generations of sociologists.

The globalization of everything: Ritzer’s influence on Spanish sociology

Gaspar Brändle and Miguel Ángel Sánchez-García

The work of Professor George Ritzer had an early impact on Spanish academia. In this article we analyse Ritzer’s reception in Spanish sociology. We identify two modalities of reception, one as a ‘metatheorist of sociology’, around his manuals of sociological theory, and the other as a ‘theorist of social reality’, focusing mainly on consumption. We argue that Ritzer’s incorporation into the Spanish sociological field, while important, leaves room for further development in areas such as the standardization of agriculture.

Theory as imagination: George Ritzer, prosumption and the theory of social change

Steven Miles

George Ritzer is a capturer of the sociological imagination. His skill as a social theorist lies in bringing complex issues to life in ways that lead his readers to want to relate their understanding to their own lives. The subtitle to Ritzer’s seminal book, ‘The McDonaldization of Society’ neatly summarizes what Ritzer manages to achieve in his theory that others have not, namely, to ‘investigate the changing character of contemporary social life.’ Ritzer’s achievement is to demystify social theory; to enable more of us to recognize how social theory can get beneath the surface of the contemporary every day and how that influence is subject to constant change. To this end, Ritzer’s contribution amounts to what Kellner describes as (a rare) ‘concrete example of sociology in action;’ an applied social analysis which draws attention to the vivid complexities and contradictions of contemporary social life.

Some final thoughts on the essays in this volume

George Ritzer

I found many useful and provocative ideas in the essays in this volume. While some of the essays offered some criticisms of my work, overall, the criticisms were muted and held to a minimum. One of the reasons for this is that this a volume dedicated to honouring me for my life’s scholarly work. The Festschrift is, at least from my point of view, a wonderful document. It combines celebration and engagement with my life’s work. In my case, that centres on a body of work on social theory and a string of other monographs, led by my book The McDonaldization of Society.

The field-defining oeuvre of George Ritzer

George Ritzer, J Michael Ryan and Diana Joseli

The (still in)complete bibliography of George Ritzer is one that spans not just decades and foci, but also impact and disciplines. Ritzer has been at the forefront of many sub-disciplines of sociology (and the social sciences), including in areas as diverse as metatheory, consumption, globalization and McDonaldization. His reputation as a social scientist who has demonstrated his expertise across a broad range of existing sub-disciplines (theory, consumption, globalization), as well as an innovator of new sub-disciplines (McDonaldization, grobalization, prosumption), all led him to be entrusted with crafting several field-defining works (perhaps most notably The Wiley-Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology).