New orientations: Incoherence

Abstract

In this commentary, I engage with Simone et al.'s article, ‘Inhabiting the Extensions’, by reflecting on its connections to my work on uncertainty and urban change in Ibadan and Lagos, Nigeria, and to my recent turn to queer theory to better understand the urban. In doing so, I highlight how youth think a new orientation towards a luxurious lifestyle is their answer to instability and consider the importance of embracing incoherence as a way of having a more nuanced understanding of everyday life and challenging teleological timeframes.