Abstract
The study of Africa is inundated with inherent complexity. It has provoked a couple of questions. For example, how can we contextualise African studies, what are the best approaches to studying Africa, what are the challenges, and what does the future hold? Such questions remain prevalent and there is a clarion call to address them.
In the first book of the New Frontiers of African Business and Society Series titled African Context of Business and Society (Omeihe & Harrison, 2022a), we took stock of scholarly capital researched across the continent and focused on Business and Society. In this book, Contextualising African Studies: Challenges and the Way Forward, we go further to examine Africa in more detail and its challenges. Africa represents the youngest and fastest-growing population in the world. Its unparalleled eco-diversity and culture have made it a vital region with one of the fastest-growing economies across the globe. However, research within and about Africa is still limited compared to other continents. The preferable stance for scholars is to apply frameworks originating from the West which arguably may be ineffective within the African context. As a result, it is pertinent that more research in and about Africa is conducted to learn lessons rather than apply them. Through this book, we draw on empirical and conceptual evidence within Africa providing recommendations and ways forward, especially during such times of global uncertainty. The prevalent issues affecting the continent from the perspective of renowned authors in African research are discussed.