Das Auto. A case for anomic globalization through Volkswagen’s ‘Made in Germany’ label

ABSTRACT

This study of Volkswagen’s national claim deals with the anomic dimension of globalization. Using Bourdieu’s and Durkheim’s framework of analysis, it examines the paradoxical promotion of national belonging by a transnational company. It makes three contributions: first, successful national narratives show the incompleteness of globalization which engenders anomie, the lasting divergence between people’s habitus and their environment. Second, the national claim can be regarded as a reaction to globalization as well as to its pluralizing effect. Third, in reflexive terms, durable anomie is analyzed as reinforcing the place of the national level and the state in people’s habitus.

KEYWORDS:

• Globalization
• anomie
• Volkswagen
• Made in Germany
• cosmopolitanism

Acknowledgments

The author would like to thank Anna Leander, Philip Cerny and David Sheehan for their valuable comments. He is also grateful to Mark Haugaard and the 2 anonymous reviewers.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. This count of Volkswagen’s production sites dates back to 31 December 2014. It did not include the commercial vehicles and motorcycle plants of the group even when they were branded Volkswagen.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Alexandre Bohas

Alexandre Bohas is an Associate Professor of International Affairs at ESSCA School of Management in France. He has recently published the book The Political Economy of Disney. The Cultural Capitalism of Hollywood and articles in academic journals such as Review of International Political Economy and Global Society.