The Diffusion of Access-to-Information Legislation: A Cross-National Contextual Analysis.

This exploratory cross-national study examined the global diffusion of access to information laws in developing and industrialized nations and the contexts in which Access to Information (ATI) laws have been adopted, implemented, or utilized. This research found that the majority of developing nations that have adopted the law have done so in the new millennium and more of them are in the lowest income groups than the previous decade. The pattern of nations adopting ATI laws in concentration appeared to follow the level of regional treaties, declarations, conventions, and charters that were signed. The study also showed that as a group, developing and industrialized nations with ATI laws had stronger political rights and civil liberties, though there were a number of nations in the group of developing countries that had weak political institutions. Industrialized nations without an ATI law were the highest income group; however, these nations scored lower as a group on political rights and civil liberties than developing nations with the ATI law. Six nations with an ATI law had GNI per capita of less than $826, which raises questions about the adequacy of infrastructure to implement the laws. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]