Livelihoods, livestock and change: the versatility and richness of historical matrices
Historical matrices can help connect the facets of lives revealed through research focused on the present situation with larger trends in people's lives. They are effective in facilitating local people's own analyses of how their situation has changed over time and the causes and consequences of that change. This paper gives three examples illustrating the range of issues that historical matrices can illuminate, focusing on the roles of livestock in livelihood strategies.