The Vitality and Revitalization of International Organizations: The Case of UNASUR

This thesis examines the revitalization of International Organizations (IOs), a concept often underexplored in academic literature. While IOs are typically assumed to be robust, recent scholarship, notably by Julia Gray, highlights their varying states of vitality: alive, inert, repurposed, or dead. This study introduces "revitalized" as a new category within Gray's typology, defining it as IOs recovering from periods of inactivity or underperformance. The Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) is analyzed as a critical case study. Established during a period of strong Latin American integration, UNASUR achieved notable successes in democratic upholding, regional infrastructure development, and defense initiatives. However, its decline by 2019 was precipitated by internal design flaws, such as veto power, and external pressures including ideological divergence and shifting geopolitical landscapes. Despite its period of inertness, UNASUR is now demonstrating signs of recovery, with key member states, including Brazil, officially rejoining. This renewed commitment to regional integration, underscored by the Brasilia Consensus, suggests a potential resurgence. This thesis suggests that UNASUR's historical political engagement, its independence from external influence, and its existing institutional framework position it favorably for a comeback compared to other regional initiatives like PROSUR. While complete revitalization remains to be seen, UNASUR's renewed activity offers valuable insights into the dynamic life cycles of IOs.