Rooted on the theoretical puzzles of power and participation, the author argues that the dominant view on political participation poses a limitation on what constitutes political participation and recasts it by arguing that the act of participation (or non-participation) already has a political meaning or implication. In doing so, the book proposes the “politics of participation framework”, which emphasizes three aspects: (1) construction of power, (2) dynamics of participation, and (3) narratives of power/participation. Through the experiences of urban communities during the pandemic, these three components are argued to contribute to our understanding of the politics of participation (vis-à-vis political participation).