We are witnessing an unprecedented period in which the urban and the regional, formerly quite distinct from one another, are blending together to define something new and different. Never before have regional approaches been more important in urban research, and urban emphases more influential in regional development theory and planning. As one of the only forums that explicitly combines the urban and the regional, IJURR has a rare opportunity to take the lead in defining and expanding critical urban/regional studies. This essay identifies eight challenging themes for innovative critical and comparative regional research.