Introduction

This chapter introduces the overall framework and purpose of the book, which develops a historical sociology of the Greek agrifood system through a longitudinal analysis of six emblematic products. It connects historical reconstructions of regime formation with forward-looking analyses of contemporary sustainability challenges and transition governance. The chapter situates the Greek case within broader European and Mediterranean debates on agrifood modernity, examining how sociotechnical systems of food production have evolved through the interaction of state policy, scientific expertise, markets, and local practices. It conceptualizes sustainability as a historically constructed category shaped by sociopolitical and material conditions and emphasizes the persistence of path dependencies in technological, institutional, and cultural infrastructures that continue to shape agricultural transitions. Drawing on Science and Technology Studies and Transition Studies, it outlines the theoretical and methodological foundations that guide the analysis across the book’s chapters. By framing Greek agrifood transformations as dynamic, historically contingent processes, the chapter establishes how deep sociomaterial entanglements of the past continue to inform present and future pathways toward sustainable agriculture.