Civil Society Organizations, Advocacy, and Policy Making in Latin American Democracies

What explains civil society participation in policy making in Latin American democracies? This book comparatively analyzes civil societal actors who have advocated for children's rights, the environment, and freedom of information in Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay. Successful issue framing and effective alliance building are identified as important "pathways" to participation. In some cases of policy making, members of non-governmental organizations and other groups influence the agenda, provide analysis, collaborate with government officials in the formulation of policy, and pressure legislators to adopt reforms. These activists do not merely respond to existing "political opportunities, " they are creating opportunities for participation. A close examination of their advocacy campaigns and efforts to gain influence is necessary to strengthen our understanding of the region's democracies. This book offers the first analysis of alliance building and framing that spans three different issue areas and three countries.--