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"Nationalism, of course, originated in Europe."
Sorry, but that's utter bullocks. The terminology may have originated in Europe, but the feelings have been around for ages. One might draw parallels to the Arab "tribes", which are more exclusive than any country could ever be. This pretty much applies to any tribe or group in history.
As for Arab nationalism, I'd say it goes back to the beginning of Islam itself. IMO, it's actually be "Islamic" nationalism, in that it seeks to create an world-wide islamic state. This is exactly what the first Muslims tried to do: conquer the world. It's not new, it's as old as it gets.
If one can believe T.E. Lawrence (of Arabia), even the "new" Islamic fundamentalism has come and gone over the centuries. These surges might have occured because of shocking defeats in battle, but I don't have enough information to prove that. It would fit in with (my view of) human history, though. (Example: the apparent rise in American nationalism after 9-11, the idea of us v.s. them.)
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