Community meetings seldom lead to significant change in urban policies, and have been accused of being sterile, sedative, or manipulative. This book starts from a simple question: why do people then continue to participate in these meetings, sometimes massively, and on a regular basis? Authors from a variety of disciplines explore the multiple roles of these invited spaces of participation. This book, unpacking community politics and rethinking the complex articulations between invited and 'invented spaces of participation, is of relevance for international and national audiences interested in urban governance and local democracy."