What Do Hamburgers and Drug Care Have in Common: Some Unorthodox Remarks on the McDonaldization and Rationality of Drug Care

Abstract

This paper traces the question of whether there is a growing process of rationalization underlying drug policy and drug treatment, in the sense of the “McDonaldization” thesis established by Ritzer (2000). Taking Germany as an example, there is some evidence that endeavors to achieve enhanced efficiency may actually lead to a lack of rationality. Here we explore the historical background of this McDonaldization process as it relates to drug policy and treatment in Germany. Is it possible to escape from the “irrationality of rationality,” that is, the intense efforts directed at efficiency in drug treatment?

Nursing in a postemotional society

“…Ritzer (1993) argues that home pregnancy tests, sex‐selection clinics, artificial insemination, routine procedures for childbirth, efficient and deritualized cremation, prearranged funerals and cryogenics all represent the spread of McDonaldization to the prebirth and postdeath realms of existence. McDonaldization has subsequently been applied in relation to academic libraries (Quinn, 2000), higher education (Hartley, 1995), drug care and policy (Kemmesies, 2002), ballparks (Ritzer & Stillman, 2001), religion (Drane, 2000), (Harding & Taylor, 2000; Taylor & Harding, 2002), pharmacy (Taylor & Harding, 2002) and health care (DiPietro, 1997).…”

McDonaldization, Islamic Teachings, and Funerary Practices in Kuwait

“…Therefore, ever more social practices have been rationalized to succeed. Ritzer's framework has been useful to explain changes in a wide range of areas; for example, body and health (Monaghan, 2007), nature and agriculture (Morris & Reed, 2007), nursing (Rankin & Campbell, 2006), law and justice systems (Bohm, 2006;Kemmesies, 2002), social values (Esmer, 2006), McDonaldization as globalization (Illouz & Nicholas, 2003), education (Hayes & Wynyard, 2002), religion (Drane, 2001), libraries (Quinn, 2000), leisure and travel (Rojek, 1993), media (Prichard, 1987), medicine (Ritzer & Walczak, 1987), and others.…”

“McJustice”: On the McDonaldization of Criminal Justice

“…The concept of McDonaldization has been used to depict developments in a variety of different social institutions, including religion (Drane, 2001), education (Hayes & Wynyard, 2002;Parker & Jary, 1995), the media (Prichard, 1987), medicine (Reiser, 1978;Ritzer & Walczak, 1987), and leisure and travel (Rojek, 1993), as well as society itself (Ritzer, 2004). However, to date, the concept of McDonaldization has only rarely been employed in the analysis of criminal justice or issues related to criminal justice (see, for example, Kemmesies, 2002;Robinson, 2002;Shichor, 1997;Umbreit, 1999).…”

“…Because of space limitations, only a few criminal justice examples can be provided (for other examples see Kemmesies, 2002;Robinson, 2002;Shichor, 1997;Umbreit, 1999).…”