and "What is the alternative to capitalist globalization? and " is a question challenging activists around the world. Michael Albert has wrestled with this question for many years, and his answer has captured the imagination of many. Participatory Economics - and "Parecon and " for short - is Albert's proposal for an economic system which offers a real alternative to capitalism, built on familiar values including solidarity, equity, diversity. In this ambitious new book, Albert goes further. Realizing Hope offers a vision of how whole areas of life might be transformed in a post-capitalist society, one where communities rather than profits are placed firmly at the center.