ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book shows how globalization opens doors for global capital flow, aiding in the construction of elites in places where the nation-state development apparatus often fails. It focuses on contemporary first-generation elites among the Maasai, who mainly come from underprivileged regions of the country, both by geography and ethnicity. The book introduces new information, especially about first-generation elite trajectories, from the viewpoint of a marginalized indigenous group. It highlights the elite trajectory in a small town, Narok, Kenya, within the Maasai indigenous group. The book explains about elite configurations and consolidation among the Maasai of Kenya provides a window through which to view elite formation trajectories among indigenous and marginalized groups in a highly globalized world. It also focuses on education as capital in elite construction emphasizing the symbolism, prestige, and security of higher education.
