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Journals / Avrasya Etüdleri / 2026 / Sayı: 66

REGIONALISM IN THE GLOBAL SOUTH: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE AFRICAN UNION AND UNASUR

Süleyman Dal(ADNAN MENDERES ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0001-6918-0706
Pages
241–268
Publication Date
2026-10-23
DOI
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

The study’s original contribution lies in offering an analytical framework linking Global South regionalism to institutional capacity, providing a new perspective on regionalism debates in the South.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:This study analyzes how regionalism is shaped and how it functions in the Global South by examining the African Union (AU) and the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) comparatively.
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Key Findings & Data:The main problem of the research is why regional integration initiatives in the Global South produce different institutional designs, governance capacities, and political outcomes despite similar colonial experiences, development constraints, and asymmetric international structures.
💡
Conclusion & Impact:The study’s original contribution lies in offering an analytical framework linking Global South regionalism to institutional capacity, providing a new perspective on regionalism debates in the South.
🔬Design:Review & Systematic Survey
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Regionalism · Global south · African Union

Abstract

This study analyzes how regionalism is shaped and how it functions in the Global South by examining the African Union (AU) and the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) comparatively. The main problem of the research is why regional integration initiatives in the Global South produce different institutional designs, governance capacities, and political outcomes despite similar colonial experiences, development constraints, and asymmetric international structures. Methodologically, the study employs a qualitative comparative analysis based on document review, institutional comparison, and thematic coding of policy texts and academic literature. The research is grounded in a wide literature on regionalism, post-hegemonic integration, Pan-Africanism, South American regional mechanisms, and governance models of the Global South. The findings show that although both AU and UNASUR aim to strengthen regional autonomy and collective action capacity, their paths diverge: while the AU makes progress in institutional integration and security-centered cooperation, UNASUR experiences fragmentation due to political polarization and a weakening supranational structure. The study also reveals that structural conditions, leadership dynamics, and regional security architecture decisively affect institutional resilience. The study’s original contribution lies in offering an analytical framework linking Global South regionalism to institutional capacity, providing a new perspective on regionalism debates in the South.

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Cite This Article

Dal, S. (2026). REGIONALISM IN THE GLOBAL SOUTH: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE AFRICAN UNION AND UNASUR. Avrasya Etüdleri, Sayı: 66, 241–268. https://ajindex.com/articles/1666032

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