Arab Nationalism: Past, Present, and Future

This article would like to discuss the development of Arab Nationalism throughout history. Arab Nationalism is discussed intially as a part of resistance against Turkish and Ottoman power. The construction of enmity between Arab and Turkish nation became one of the most important feature of Arab Nationalism. However, the enmity against Turkish nation was not the only factor contributing to the Arab Nationalism. The existence of Arab nationalist movement and rise of Arab intellectuals gave the momentum for Arab nationalism to obtain a prominent place. As Arab nations declared their independence, there are aspirations which seeks Arab nations to be united into one country. One such ideal was brought up by Gamal Abdel Nasser, previously the President of Arab Republic of Egypt. Arab Nationalism experienced its hey-day during these days, but soon after, loses its charm after the war with Israel. This paper will also discuss the problems and reasons behind the decline of Arab Nationalism.