Introduction

The African continent is predominantly populated by young people who are taking a stand against the current politics in their nations and resisting some stereotypical geopolitical structures and practices. They are attempting to prepare the way for societies that are less hierarchical by establishing new youth movements from urban cultures and suburban areas. African development stakeholders are obsessed with talking about the “youth bulge”, but little attention is paid to the role of millennials in the political leadership and future of their nations. Consequently, there is a yawning knowledge gap about the attitudes and aspirations of young Africans towards governance and leadership in their nations. A further implication is that opportunities to amplify young people’s voices are somewhat constricted. This chapter introduces the reader to the central topic of the book focusing on the critical discussion of underlying concepts. The chapter identifies the range of knowledge gaps that the book tries to fill. The chapter also establishes the interdisciplinary audiences and stakeholders that may find the book useful. A gentle overview of the different data sources used in the book is provided followed by brief summaries of each chapter.