ABSTRACT
This chapter 1 discusses the conceptual framework of youth experiences within the context of the select substantive issues we focus on. To this effect, we discuss the importance of such theoretical perspectives as the first and second demographic transition theories, globalisation, family life course, and family life-cycle perspectives. The first and second demographic transition theories, for instance, help to explain the demographic changes that have resulted in the mortality and high fertility regimes in sub-Saharan Africa and the resultant predominance of youth in the populations of countries in the region, the postponement of marriage, and other changes in nuptiality thereof. Meanwhile, globalisation helps us to understand the problems of unemployment of the youth and other economic processes such as poverty, etc, while the family life cycle and life course perspectives help us to understand the timing of such central family events like marriage, childbirth, etc. and the socioeconomic events that underlie such transitions.
