Note from the president.

The nineteenth-century German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer suggested that all truths pass through three stages: first they are ridiculed, then they are violently opposed, and finally they are accepted as self-evident. Though somewhat anachronistic, this observation usefully reminds us of the passions that may accompany debate over new public ideas. As our response to the terrorist attacks enters its second year and the prospect of invading Iraq grows, the claim that New Urbanist design principles can enhance formation of social capital may not resonate strongly enough to win a prominent place on the public agenda. But the challenges we face in our society, and the choices that we must make, give us good reason to take an interest in policies and practices that might help to increase the bonds of trust and reciprocity …