Participate! Portraits of Cities and Citizens in Action offers an introduction to the complex world of urban development, identity and participation. It explains how the self-understanding of cities is mirrored in their approach to urban development. The basis of the book is formed by portraits of six European cities: Berlin, Hamburg, Paris, Lyon, Amsterdam and Groningen.

The book fills a gap as it provides general introductions to cities, a brief outline of the city’s planning system, a short historic introduction to the city’s planning culture. With telling and outstanding examples of citizen participation this book offers important insights in both the intrinsic logic of the cities and the mechanisms – sometimes more inclusive, sometimes more exclusive- of participation.

Participate! Is one of the results of the R-link project, a unique cooperation of Dutch policy makers and scholars on participation and urban development. Of interest for urban planners, architects, city journalists and students and academics in the field of urban planning.