Mangnus, EllenWegerif, Marc2025-07-032025-07-032025-06Mangnus, E. & Wegerif, M. 2025, 'Global currents, local tides : an examination of the dynamic interplay between global value chains and local food markets', Research in Globalization, vol. 10, art. 100287, pp. 1-8, doi : 10.1016/j.resglo.2025.100287.2590-051X10.1016/j.resglo.2025.100287http://hdl.handle.net/2263/103145DATA AVAILABILITY : Data can be requested from the grant recipients.This article contributes to a special issue critically examining the shift from an “international” to a “global” development paradigm. Focusing on global value chains, the paper critiques the convergence-divergence thesis of Horner and Hulme (2019), which posits that globalization leads to converging development trends across countries but diverging inequalities within them. The article argues for a more in-depth examination of how local contexts, market practices, and actors interact with global dynamics. Through a narrative review, the paper traces the evolution of global value chains—from a framework for analysing transnational supply chains to a development tool—and critiques its limitations in addressing the complex inequalities that emerge both within and between countries. Focusing on food production, trade, and consumption, the article proposes a practice-based approach to globalization that more effectively captures the dynamics of global–local interactions and offers a nuanced understanding of how people shape—and are shaped by—globalization in their daily lives.en© 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).Global value chain (GVC)DevelopmentPractice based approachArticle