Disney and his Worlds

Disney and his Worlds is a thorough overview of what is by now a large literature on the Disney organization, in particular their theme parks and their significance for contemporary culture. The author looks at Walt Disney's life and how his biography has been constructed; the Walt Disney Company in the years after his death and the writings of various commentators on the Disney theme parks. He raises important issues about the parks; whether they are harbringers of postmodernism; the significance of consumption at the parks; the nature of the parks as tourism and the representation of past and future. The discussion of theme parks is central but links with the presentation of Walt Disney's biography and his organization by showing how central economic and business considerations have been in their development, and how the significance of these considerations is typically marginalised in order to place an emphasis on fantasy and magic. In the process, the book questions the assumption that the parks are sites of postmodern sensibility. Disney films, merchandising and theme parks are one of the defining features of our times and one of the more effective elements in American cultural imperialism. It is imposiible to imagine an encyclopedic sociology of contemporary culture that did not devote at least a chapter to Disney and his Worlds. Particularly the parks are often employed as examples in areas like cultural studies, the sociology of postmodernism, tourism and leisure studies, while Walt Disney and his organization, is important to the area of organization studies. All will welcome Bryman's clear and judicious overview and literature on the man, the organization and their significance to contemporary culture.