Millennials have had bad press for a long time. Now they are fighting back, making their mark on a world that is profoundly different from the one their parents knew.

The oldest were in primary school when the Soviet Union collapsed and deregulation swept the west. As they entered adulthood they witnessed 9/11 and the invasion of Iraq and, more recently, watched as Chinese capitalism revived consumerism, the global financial crisis pushed capitalism to the brink, and Facebook was born.

This is the best educated, most connected generation ever, but the world they live in does not offer easy pathways. Some millennials are detached and disillusioned, but others are coming up with innovative ideas, experimenting with new ways to live and work. Their vision and energy will shape the future.

This special edition of Griffith Review is devoted to the challenges and opportunities this generation is facing and embracing-political uncertainty, climate change, globalisation and economic stagnation.