What is ‘social anthropology’ today? How should a journal with that title attempt to negotiate its global scope, its particular lines of descent, its kinship relations? Since Jean-Claude Galey's declaration of intentions in the first issue of Social Anthropology/Anthropologie Sociale (Galey 1992), no comparable assessment of the future of the journal, and of the field at which it is directed, has appeared in its pages. In the previous issue, Eduardo Archetti reflected on the journal's past ten years. He provides much food for thought and insight, but – showing a modesty that is as characteristic of my predecessor as it is out of proportion with his actual editorial achievements – says little about where the journal could or should be headed. It seems appropriate, therefore, to formulate a more explicit statement of editorial intent on the occasion of the first issue to appear under my direction.