| The tremendous changes in world society during the past several decades raise a number of important questions that require new empirical evidence and theoretical explanation for studies of rationalization. World society theory treats rationalization as a cultural process. This theory argues that a rational world culture, which originated from western culture, has universal influence. Based on this idea, this thesis proposes the standardized social measurement as one of the main embodiments of the rational world culture. Thus, participation in global social survey infrastructure (GSSI) is used to measure the diffusion of scientific rationality in world society. Based on this measurement, a descriptive analysis on the global participation in GSSI and an event history analysis on the history of global participation are conducted to describe this process and provide insights into its causes. Results of descriptive analysis show the national participation in GSSI is extensive, but highly unbalance even throughout its expansion in recent years. Event history models show that countries with closer connections to world culture are at greater risk of joining the GSSI. Both results support the argument of world society theory. Rationalization in contemporary world is driven by the world culture through diffusion. |
