Randomized parallel algorithms

The opinion has sometimes been voiced that parallel randomized computations have only a pure theoretical interest. We instead believe that randomized algorithms have and will have several applications ranging from very theoretical to quite practical. The aim of this chapter has been to provide strong evidence of our convinction. In our view the covered material represents only the starting point of a deeper study in the enourmous potentiality of probabilistic methods in the design and analysis of parallel algorithms. By the examples we have illustrated, readers from different research areas may find interesting ideas in their own topics.