SignificanceDo human societies from around the world exhibit similarities in the way that they are structured and show commonalities in the ways that they have evolved? To address these long-standing questions, we constructed a database of historical and archaeological information from 30 regions around the world over the last 10,000 years. Our analyses revealed that characteristics, such as social scale, economy, features of governance, and information systems, show strong evolutionary relationships with each other and that complexity of a society across different world regions can be meaningfully measured using a single principal component of variation. Our findings highlight the power of the sciences and humanities working together to rigorously test hypotheses about general rules that may have shaped human history.

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Climate change is increasing the severity of extreme weather events, particularly hurricanes, presenting a significant challenge to Caribbean coastal communities. In the aftermath of a major disaster, government interventions typically prioritise infrastructure, assets, and the economy through rebuilding roads, reviving economic sectors, and providing financial compensation. This is driven by a focus on macro-level quantitative indicators rather than by local, multidimensional subjective and relational factors, closer to lived experiences and livelihoods. Using frameworks outlining social well-being and agency, this paper explores strategies used by a fisheries-dependent community in Dominica to recover from Hurricane Maria in 2017 and pursue well-being. The findings highlight the importance of multidimensional well-being, particularly relational and subjective dimensions, including existing social networks, and personal relationships critical for recovery after Maria. Furthermore, the paper demonstrates how recovery initiatives that concentrate solely on material well-being, such as employment, can undermine agency in the capacity of a community to recover and build resilience.

Archaeology and heritage projects can have profound social, economic, environmental and cultural impacts on the development of communities. Yet, their impacts are rarely articulated or measured in development terms, to the detriment of their accountability, sustainability and replicability. This article explores the potential for a more systematic evaluation of these impacts through the case study of the Sustainable Preservation Initiative (SPI) and their evaluation strategies in Peru. Informed by an evaluability assessment framework, this study highlights the practical challenges in evaluating small-scale projects in the Global South and the scope for overcoming them, appraising how SPI’s contribution to local development can be measured in practice. Development evaluation methods are measured against the practical concerns expressed by project staff and participants. The article reflects on the importance of evaluating the wide-ranging development impacts of archaeology and heritage projects and concludes with practical suggestions for documenting these multifaceted impacts and for further comparative research.