"With the diffusion of the internet, media and communication research witnessed the emergence of a new term, ‘engagement’. Although, the term is widely used it is poorly defined and in need of explication. Through semantic network analysis, the analysis shows how traditions, as varied as audience research, political science, science communication, marketing studies and media psychology, have put the concept to use for very different purposes. Clusters in the network map demonstrate clear demarcations between traditions and perspectives on the ontology of engagement. Following from this mapping, the article evaluates the different perspectives and outlines key issues that scholars need to deal with to advance engagement as an analytical concept in media and communications research. In the end, the article argues that engagement should foreground the reflexive capacities of individuals rather than instrumental interactions or societal participation. In this way, the concept can retain its specificity and richness rather than turn into a colloquial term with vague and indistinct connotations." (Abstract