This book investigates the political economy of sustainable development to determine why conventional approaches have failed to produce meaningful change. The authors, Ian Drummond and Terry Marsden, utilize a framework rooted in social theory and food regime analysis to critique existing sustainability models. They argue that current strategies are often too static, proposing instead a dynamic methodology that accounts for the complex interplay between global markets and local production systems.

Experts recognize this work as a significant contribution to the critical study of sustainable development, particularly for its focus on the food sector. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose and the authors' rigorous application of political economy to environmental issues.