On the volatility of transnational actor populations: What has access got to do with it?

Abstract

Over the past few decades, international organizations have increasingly granted transnational actors access to monitor and participate in their proceedings. Some observers have argued that stronger involvement of civil society may be a cure for the perceived democratic deficit in international political institutions. However, simply measuring levels of formal access tells us nothing about the degree to which access translates into participation. This article therefore examines the stability, or volatility, of two populations of transnational actors over a period of three decades. It finds significant differences in volatility between the two populations that levels of formal access do not seem to explain.