Social media: The development of a new McDonaldized institution
The article examines the phenomenon of social media from the perspective of the McDonaldization theory. The author considers social media as inextricably linked with the consumer society systems to show that such media have become a new McDonaldized institution, the study of which provides new theor...
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Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University)
2020-12-01
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Online Access: | http://journals.rudn.ru/sociology/article/viewFile/22941/17815 |
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doaj-4a342bf4b23c45a797cdae908568491d2020-11-25T02:05:52ZengPeoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University)RUDN journal of Sociology2313-22722408-88972020-12-01201182910.22363/2313-2272-2020-20-1-18-2918484Social media: The development of a new McDonaldized institutionA. V. Shchekoturov0Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal UniversityThe article examines the phenomenon of social media from the perspective of the McDonaldization theory. The author considers social media as inextricably linked with the consumer society systems to show that such media have become a new McDonaldized institution, the study of which provides new theoretical and methodological possibilities. The article provides an overview of the studies proving the increasing McDonaldizing effect on various social institutions of the Russian society, and considers social media in terms of factors of the McDonaldization theory. Two social networks - Facebook and VK - are described in G. Ritzer’s concepts of ‘nothing’ and ‘something’ as the McDonaldized institutions. The author identifies the theoretical-methodological significance of considering social media as McDonaldized institutions; shows that social media functionally correspond to all five factors of Ritzer’s McDonaldization; explains why the social network Facebook is a grobalized form of ‘nothing’ and, thus, a driving force of globalization, while the social network VK is a glocal form of ‘nothing’ and, thus, creates unique meanings at the border of local and global levels. One of such new meanings is that the VK reflects the traditional interpretation of gender identity, sexual orientation and marriage. The author concludes that social media are a McDonaldized institution that can become a new research optics, which presupposes the use of mixed methods research.http://journals.rudn.ru/sociology/article/viewFile/22941/17815facebookmcdonaldizationsocial mediamcdonaldized institutionfacebookvkconsumer society |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
A. V. Shchekoturov |
spellingShingle |
A. V. Shchekoturov Social media: The development of a new McDonaldized institution RUDN journal of Sociology mcdonaldization social media mcdonaldized institution vk consumer society |
author_facet |
A. V. Shchekoturov |
author_sort |
A. V. Shchekoturov |
title |
Social media: The development of a new McDonaldized institution |
title_short |
Social media: The development of a new McDonaldized institution |
title_full |
Social media: The development of a new McDonaldized institution |
title_fullStr |
Social media: The development of a new McDonaldized institution |
title_full_unstemmed |
Social media: The development of a new McDonaldized institution |
title_sort |
social media: the development of a new mcdonaldized institution |
publisher |
Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University) |
series |
RUDN journal of Sociology |
issn |
2313-2272 2408-8897 |
publishDate |
2020-12-01 |
description |
The article examines the phenomenon of social media from the perspective of the McDonaldization theory. The author considers social media as inextricably linked with the consumer society systems to show that such media have become a new McDonaldized institution, the study of which provides new theoretical and methodological possibilities. The article provides an overview of the studies proving the increasing McDonaldizing effect on various social institutions of the Russian society, and considers social media in terms of factors of the McDonaldization theory. Two social networks - Facebook and VK - are described in G. Ritzer’s concepts of ‘nothing’ and ‘something’ as the McDonaldized institutions. The author identifies the theoretical-methodological significance of considering social media as McDonaldized institutions; shows that social media functionally correspond to all five factors of Ritzer’s McDonaldization; explains why the social network Facebook is a grobalized form of ‘nothing’ and, thus, a driving force of globalization, while the social network VK is a glocal form of ‘nothing’ and, thus, creates unique meanings at the border of local and global levels. One of such new meanings is that the VK reflects the traditional interpretation of gender identity, sexual orientation and marriage. The author concludes that social media are a McDonaldized institution that can become a new research optics, which presupposes the use of mixed methods research. |
topic |
facebook mcdonaldization social media mcdonaldized institution vk consumer society |
url |
http://journals.rudn.ru/sociology/article/viewFile/22941/17815 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT avshchekoturov socialmediathedevelopmentofanewmcdonaldizedinstitution |
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