127
The Buddha Bar has franchises
throughout the world and is an example
of Bryman’s “theming” theory, whereby
a cultural source (in this case, religion),
is used to create a product or venue.See also: George Ritzer 120–23 ■ Sharon Zukin 128–31 ■ Jean Baudrillard 196–99 ■ Arlie Hochschild 236–43
MODERN LIVING
a nonexistent reality, become
models for American society.”
Furthermore, Disneyization is also
occurring in the rest of the world.
Blurring fantasy and reality
Bryman identifies four aspects
to Disneyization: theming, hybrid
consumption, merchandizing, and
emotional labor.
Theming involves drawing on
widely recognized cultural sources
to create a popular environment—
for example, using rock music as
the theme of Hard Rock Café.
Hybrid consumption refers
to areas where different kinds of
consumption become interlinked:
airports and sports arenas, for
example, become shopping malls.
Merchandizing involves the
promotion and sale of goods with
copyrighted images and logos. For
example, literature and films such
as the Harry Potter series or Shrek
generate a plethora of products from
t-shirts to video games.
The term “emotional labor” was
coined by Arlie Hochschild
in The Managed Heart to describe
a person altering their outward
behavior to conform to an ideal.
In Disneyization, this occurs where
a job appears to become more of
a performance, with a scripted
interaction, dressing up, and the
impression of having endless fun.
The effect of these processes is
that they can transform everyday
occurrences, such as shopping
and eating, into spectacular and
sensational events. At the same
time, however, the tendency to
repackage things in a sanitized
format undermines the authenticity
of other experiences and places.Ultimately this blurs the distinction
between fantasy and reality.
Bryman cites the fashion for trying
to bestow character on somewhere
by associating it with a well-known
cultural totem, leading to England’s
Nottinghamshire becoming “Robin
Hood Country” and Finland’s
Lapland “Santa Claus Land.”
Bryman proposes Disneyization
as a parallel notion to George
Ritzer’s McDonaldization, a process
by which the principles of the fast-
food restaurant (McDonald’s itself is
merely a symbol) come to dominate
more and more sectors of society.
McDonaldization is grounded in the
idea of rationalization and produces
sameness. Theme parks echo this
in several ways, but Disneyization
is essentially about increasing the
inclination to consume (goods and
services), often through variety
and difference. The popularity
of theming and merchandizing
suggests that Dizneyization
has become an integral part
of modern life and identity. ■Alan Bryman
British sociologist Alan Bryman
is a professor of organizational
and social research in the school
of management at the University
of Leicester, England. Prior to
this he worked at the University
of Loughborough for 31 years.
Bryman is interested in
methodological issues and
different aspects of consumer
culture. His specializations
include combining qualitative
and quantitative research
methods; Disneyization and
McDonaldization; and effectiveleadership in higher education.
He is widely published in all
three areas.
Bryman is unable to
understand the disdain of
fellow intellectuals for all things
Disney; his love of the cartoons
and parks has greatly inspired
his academic work, which has
become influential in both
cultural and sociological studies.Key works1995 Disney and his World
2004 The Disneyization of
Society