ABSTRACT
High-status actors usually take a direct route and can themselves place a salient issue on the agenda. Hence the process of agenda setting will depend upon the level of issue-salience, the variety of possible access routes for communication and influence, and the status of actors in the system. Agenda setting depends on issue-salience, access routes to the agenda, and the status of engaged actors. Nevertheless, not every issue can reach the agenda and, even among those which get to be discussed, not all will be settled. Sometimes, issues are brought to the agenda, discussed and contended, with decisions being made in relation to them. A single global agenda can be identified and can be defined as those issues and associated proposals that attract serious attention from either a large number of actors or from those capable of resolving the claims.
