Scenes from small-town America in the 21st century: Downtown shops are boarded up as Wal-Marts sprawl across the landscape. Factories close, lured to the next state by government handouts. Traffic jams snarl country roads. Yet, for every declining Hartford, CT there's a boomtown like Athens, GA. Why? What is wrong with our communities? The problem, argue the authors of this work, is not in our lack of civic pride but in the triple threat our towns and cities face: globalization, the chase for jobs and the challenge of sprawl. These forces - which we created with misguided policies - destroy...

Until we face the issues of decay and isolation at the local level, any attempts to revitalize downtown or restore family values are sure to fail. Making a Place for Community is a vivid blueprint for rebuilding the heart of American life - its towns and cities.

Be prepared for a mind-opening experience.
-The Christian Century
""Highly readable; excellent for students. . . . A tonic and eye-opener for anyone who wants a politics that works.""
-Jane Mansbridge, Adams Professor, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University
""America Beyond Capitalism comes at a critical time in our history-when we all know our system isn't working but we are not sure what can be done about it. This book takes us outside the confines of orthodox thinking, imagines a new way of living together, and then brings that vision back into reality with...