ABSTRACT
This chapter emphasizes that peoples lived experiences have a direct bearing on how they construct climate change, and the constructions differ between men and women based on their social differences and societal roles. It shows the research of a larger multidisciplinary project that examines the dynamics between coupled human-biophysical systems in savannas under climate change. The results are based on national climate data collected from published sources and fieldwork conducted in three Masai communities, in Kajiado South Constituency in southern Kenya. The three communities, Empiron, Mbirikani and Risa, were selected based on their main livelihood activities as identified by team members who had field experience in these communities dating back to the late 1970s. Collectively, these communities represented the main livelihood trajectories for pastoralist communities in southern Kenya. People's constructions of climate change are primarily linked to knowledge acquired in the process of practicing their gendered responsibilities.
