Knowledge drawn from ecology, the study of interactions between organisms and their environments, is critical to zooarchaeological interpretation. Using theories and methods common in modern ecology, zooarchaeological research demonstrates the profound impact of human behavior on ecosystems across space and time. Ecological understanding allows zooarchaeologists to understand how humans shaped ecosystems in the past, how those systems shaped us, and how we may adapt to ecological changes in the future.

Chapter 3 provides a legal analysis of corporate governing, concluding that it poses minimal challenges under traditional corporate law. It introduces a framework for assessing corporate actions and focuses on two forms: government substitution and corporate socioeconomic advocacy. Courts have treated government substitution as a matter of business discretion, protected by the business judgment rule. Socioeconomic advocacy, while more politically charged, is likewise shielded – reinforced by Simeone v. The Walt Disney Company, where the Delaware Chancery Court denied a shareholder inspection request tied to Disney’s opposition to Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law. The decision reflects Delaware courts’ reluctance to intervene in corporate political speech absent credible evidence of fiduciary breaches. Although director liability under Caremark has expanded in other contexts, courts have shown little interest in extending it to political risk absent clear legal violation or egregious facts. That said, legal exposure remains in adjacent domains – particularly securities fraud and ESG/DEI compliance – where heightened regulatory and political scrutiny continues to evolve.

Chapter 4 explores the normative foundations of corporate governing by addressing four central questions: whether there is a business case for it, whether it is strategically sound, whether it benefits social activists and society, and whether it poses risks to democracy. The analysis suggests that corporate governing may enhance firm value, depending on factors like authenticity, stakeholder alignment, and market context. Strategically, it is a voluntary choice, often undertaken with risk assessments in place, though not immune to backlash. While some firms benefit, others may falter, but absent clear evidence of systemic harm, business-based objections are difficult to sustain. The chapter then considers whether corporate governing serves broader social goals. Activists are capable of evaluating the risks of collaboration, and the societal impact should be judged pragmatically, based on outcomes. Finally, the chapter addresses the political dimension – specifically, the democratic risks of delegating public functions to private actors with limited accountability.

Taphonomy is the study of the transformation of archaeological deposits from deposition, to recovery, and analysis. These changes occur prior to excavation (first-order changes), and during excavation and analysis (second-order changes). The taphonomic histories of assemblages vary greatly from site to site, and may not be completely knowable, even using multiple lines of evidence.

The intellectual roots of zooarchaeology are interdisciplinary and international. In spite of this global scope, zooarchaeology is remarkably cohesive, and centered on two related goals: (1) to understand, through time and space, the biology and ecology of animals, and (2) to understand the structures and functions of human behavior. Most modern zooarchaeological research falls into three broad areas that inform and shape one another: (1) methodological research, (2) anthropological research, and (3) biological research.

The domestication of animals by people, and their resulting mutual dependence, profoundly altered human societies and the environments in which we live. Recent advances in archaeogenetics and meta-analyses of zooarchaeological data expand upon traditional approaches to the topic and demonstrate that animal domestication was more widespread and complex than previously thought.

Zooarchaeological research has transformed our knowledge about relationships among animals and people. We have a much better understanding of the diverse ways in which people respond to the challenges and opportunities of their environments; the variety of roles animals fill; the breadth of animals’ social meanings; the importance of cuisines in sustaining our biological and social lives; and the magnitude of our impact on the environment. and is increasingly informed by technical and theoretical advances as members of interdisciplinary teams. From this holistic perspective on the human condition, we gain a better understanding of our past, present, and future.

Zooarchaeology is the study of animal remains excavated from archaeological sites. The goal of zooarchaeology is to understand human relationships with the environment through their interactions with nonhuman animals. Zooarchaeology is widely interdisciplinary, global in scope, and practiced by a diverse, interconnected community of scholars with a wide range of experiences, theoretical interests, training, and methodologies.

The practice of zooarchaeology requires familiarity with the types of animals represented in archaeological assemblages, particularly with hard tissues most likely to be present in the archaeological record. This knowledge must be grounded in a basic understanding of taxonomy (both folk and systematic), evolution, anatomy, and morphology. Modern zooarchaeology also requires familiarity with highly technical analyses, such as archaeogenetics, stable isotopes, and trace elements.