ABSTRACT
Based on a number of examples of the rich variety of political actions undertaken by citizens nowadays, the conceptual, methodological, and empirical challenges presented by the continuous expansion of the repertoire of participation are briefly discussed. The chapter poses five guiding questions to be dealt with. Given how difficult it is to detect political acts that may not fit squarely within available definitions of participation, how do you recognize political participation if you see it? Further questions regarding how to avoid overstretching the concept of participation and how to systematically conceptualize and measure new forms of participation in the future are posed. The chapter specifies how the core questions of the book are dealt with in each individual chapter and offers a short summary and plan of the book.
