The article critically reviews a number of theories of globalization. Contemporary sociological theories of globalization are criticized because they are often historically shallow, they do not adequately consider forms of cultural resistance to global standardization, and finally they often neglect the role of the state in orchestrating responses to external global transformation. In order to develop these critical assessments, the article concentrates in particular on George Ritzer’s study of McDonaldization and especially his recent book oil the Globalization of Nothing. Ritzer contends that much global culture is devoid of authentic substance, has no sensitivity to place or time, and denudes local cultures of their distinctive contents. His work has taken an increasingly pessimistic direction, reinforcing his dependence on Max Weber’s notion of the rationalization of society. Against Ritzer, this article argues that there are two important dimensions to cultural resistance to nihilistic globalism, namely the presence of a strong cultural aesthetic and the mobilization of political power to resist standardization. The argument examines a variety of historical circumstances where societies with strong aesthetics and political will have resisted external, global pressures towards standardization.
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