A New Vision

Abstract

What does it mean when nation-states disappear, not from conquest or revolution, but from lack of public interest and support? What does it mean when other nations cease to function and disintegrate into anarchy? What does it mean when ethnic communities that have lived together in peace engage in awful mutual slaughter? What does it mean when civil violence in the most powerful nation in the world approaches the level of low-intensity warfare? What does it mean when political parties that have ruled stable, modern democracies for decades are not just defeated at the polls, but annihilated politically. What does it mean when the gap between the haves and the have-nots—a fundamental root cause of conflict—continues to widen both nationally and globally? It is against this background of profound disquiet that many U.S. institutions and the nation itself are seeking new visions. The science community is no exception. Earlier this month, about 50 leaders from ...