When International Journal of Urban and Regional Research was founded in the late 1970s it was with a sense of intellectual excitement, based on a common commitment amongst those who edited and contributed to the journal. The new currents of social theory and analysis that began flowing in the late 1960s and early 1970s were perceived to have paradigm-shifting implications in the field of urban and regional analysis. Not that there was much to push out of the way, since much previous work had been atheoretical and descriptive, often based on a technocratic or planning perspective. Sociologists made the greatest impact at that time in the emerging field of urban studies in terms of ideas and, despite superficial appearances to the contrary, beyond a general commitment to radical and critical theory, the editorial board did not wear ideological blinkers: debate and controversy were and are warmly welcomed.However, there is an inevitable danger in any field that after the initial conceptual push many may feel inclined to embrace the new paradigm and doze a little. Debates and arguments that were initially intellectually stirring become less exciting through repetition. This is more likely in an interdisciplinary context. Those from specific disciplinary contexts such as geographers, planners and economists who have regularly contributed to the journal would understandably prefer to take some sociological concepts as given, despite having a lively awareness of, and welcoming, developments in their own disciplines. It is obviously disturbing to be for ever pulling up new ideas by the roots to see if they are flourishing. However, if too much is taken as given then certain phrases and concepts may be used uncritically when they have long since lost any theoretical bite: the incantation of conceptual mantras is evidently no substitute for critical thinking.Some of the debates of the 1970s were never properly resolved and they were left rather too readily by those whose interests were directed more towards reporting urban and regional developments around the world. Reports from 'our own correspondents' in Prague, Brazil, Turkey, the Philippines or wherever, were intrinsically interesting to many and an international journal has to be fairly broadminded. The eager young scholar struggling under very difficult conditions in eastern Europe or a relatively isolated African university needs some