Using surveys, experiments, and fieldwork from several countries, this book tests a new theory of participation in elections and protests.

S. Erdem Aytaç is an assistant professor in the Department of International Relations at Koç University, Istanbul. He received his Ph.D. in political science from Yale University, Connecticut in 2014. Aytaç's research interests lie in political behavior with a focus on democratic accountability and political participation. His previous work has appeared in the Journal of Politics, Comparative Political Behavior, British Journal of Political Science, Political Behavior, and the Journal of Conflict Resolution, among other journals. He is the recipient of the 2016 Young Scientist Award of Science Academy (Turkey) and the 2018 Sakýp Sabancý International Research Award.

1. Introduction: rethinking political participation; 2. Theories of voter participation: a review and a new approach; 3. Testing the costly abstention theory of turnout; 4. Theories of protest participation: a review and a new approach; 5. Testing the costly abstention theory of protest participation; 6. The emotional origins of collective action; 7. Conclusions: criticisms, extensions, and democratic theory.