Burger Cultures: McDonaldization And De-McDonaldization In Croatia And The U.S.

Abstract

The primary goal of this thesis is to contribute to critical/ social theory through food theory by examining the interactions between local (i.e., internal food trends) and delocalization/ globalization, which are external food trends in Croatia and the United States. I argue, the globalization process is visible in Croatian's adoption of processed foods and fast-food experiences, while the localization in the United States is observable in the re-creation of local, organic, and slower food practices. Subsets of Croatians are embarking on a path of monoculturalism, and conversely, subgroups in the United States are deconstructing and resisting the one common global food culture. I begin my thesis in the country where McDonaldization commenced, taking the reader through a journey of localization to globalization and back to local, examining both the positive and negative consequences of these societal changes. Then a historical synopsis of Croatia's turbulent political past provides rudimentary understanding of the once Socialist country's modest beginnings. Lastly, the de-McDonaldizing effects on America's irrational food system are discussed, as well as implications for both Croatia and the United States.