The volume contributes to our understanding of the formal genius of age systems ... -

• Conflict, age and power in North East African age systems, Simon Simonse and Eisei Kurimoto; resonance of age systems in southeastern Sudan, Eisei Kurimoto; age, conflict and power in the monyomiji age systems, Simon Simonse; "brothers in arms" - military aspects of East African age-class systems in historical perspective, John Lamphear; generational systems on the threshold of the third millennium - an anthropological perspective, Serge Tornay; Gaga systems on the meta-ethical level - Gabbra/Boran/Garre interactions in the Kenyan-Ethiopian borderland, Gunther Schlee; women's age categories in a male-dominated society - the case of the Chamus of Kenya, Kaori Kawai; age systems and modes of predatory expansion, Paul Spencer; peacemakers, prophets, chiefs and warriors - age-set antagonism as a factor of political change among the Kipsigis of Kenya, Toru Komma; Rendille age system as an instrument of clan coherence and subsistence security, Shun Sato; two extinct age systems among the Iteso, Nobuhiro Nagashima.