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Transnational advocacy and domestic law: International NGOs and the design of freedom of information laws

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  • Daniel Berliner

Abstract

Can international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) influence domestic policy? This paper offers new quantitative evidence of the impact of INGOs in one specific policy area—Freedom of Information (FOI) laws—as well as highlighting an under-studied mechanism of INGO influence on the design of domestic laws. I test this argument by examining the effect of legal analyses of draft FOI legislation published by the INGO Article 19. These analyses provide expert legal assessments and make normative evaluations—both information politics and symbolic politics. I find that in countries in which Article 19 conducted legal analyses, the design of the subsequently passed FOI laws was significantly stronger than in countries that were not subject to such analyses. I demonstrate that this finding is not an artifact of Article 19’s selection process. I also present suggestive evidence that highlights symbolic politics, not information politics, as the more salient mechanism. Finally, I examine the process of FOI drafting and adoption in Serbia to illustrate the argument and specific mechanisms at work. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media New York 2016

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  • Daniel Berliner, 2016. "Transnational advocacy and domestic law: International NGOs and the design of freedom of information laws," The Review of International Organizations, Springer, vol. 11(1), pages 121-144, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:revint:v:11:y:2016:i:1:p:121-144
    DOI: 10.1007/s11558-015-9228-6
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    Cited by:

    1. Philip Schleifer & Matteo Fiorini & Graeme Auld, 2017. "Transparency in Transnational Sustainability Governance: A Multivariate Analysis of Regulatory Standard-Setting Programs," RSCAS Working Papers 2017/16, European University Institute.
    2. Relly, Jeannine E. & Rabbi, Md. Fazle & Sabharwal, Meghna & Pakanati, Rajdeep & Schwalbe, Ethan H., 2020. "More than a decade in the making: A study of the implementation of India's Right to Information Act," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).

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