This arena in the political system is where persons get familiar and interested in public issues and how rules tend to affect the articulation of interests from society. The way rules are constituted in order to channel participation in public affairs is generally considered an important aspect of governance. For example, much of the recent literature on democratization indicates the important role that citizens have played in reshaping the rules so as to enhance their own input into the making of public policy. In Latin America as well as Eastern Europe, political reforms have been the result of socialization in the context of social movements, intensified political communication, and an enhanced articulation of interests that previously were latent for fear of public authority.
