Paper short abstract:

This paper explores how oil exploration in the Niger Delta shapes the life experiences of young people, with particular attention to how these experiences affect young men in particular.

Paper long abstract:

This paper is about how oil exploration in the Niger Delta shapes the life experiences of young people, with special attention to how these experiences affect young men in particular. Specifically, it draws upon Bourdieu's sociology and the concept of hegemonic masculinity as the theoretical basis to examine how the intersecting identities of gender, ethnicity and religion collide with unequal processes of resource distribution to shape youth agency. The paper concludes that while achieving inclusive development is not an easy task, making real progress in a highly unequal context like Nigeria depends on addressing the specific needs and aspirations of young men (plus women) many of whom live at the margins of their community.