Dissent as Restlessness (Essays on Church, Society, and the Performances of Resistance)

This book examines dissent as multifaceted resistance across religious, political, and social contexts in contemporary Africa and beyond. Using Collins and Skover's framework, it defines dissent through intentionality, criticality, and publicness. Structured in eight chapters the author explores ‘performances of resistance’ emerging from Nigeria’s #EndSARS protests, the Ahiara diocese controversy, parallels between Black Lives Matter and Liberation Theology, ecumenical resistance, youth spiritual restlessness, African Pentecostalism, Pope Francis’s synodality program, and Africa’s inadequate memorialization of victims of violent conflicts. The author argues legitimate dissent often stems from moral imperatives that challenges unjust structures while maintaining ethical means. This accessible work demonstrates how African contexts shape various resistance forms, offering valuable insights for understanding social change.