In 2010, a 26-year-old fruit seller sparked a series of revolutions that impacted more than 17 countries and territories. The vendor, Mohammed Bouazizi, sold fruits and vegetables in the rural town of Sidi Bouzid, Tunisia. After having his cart cleared by the police because he did not have a permit, Bouazizi set himself on fire in front of a Tunisian government building. In many countries, the resulting four years of unrest led to deaths, ethnic conflict and political upheaval. Some argue that the Arab Spring was simply the result of poor governments and the fall of authoritarian regimes. For many political scientists, the widespread revolution shed light on a much more complex phenomenon of nationalist movements. The Arab Spring highlighted new threats to state control and elements of revolt in the 21st century. The Arab Spring highlighted the impact of nationalist movements. Each movement had various causes and resulted in unique results. Despite the varied nature of each country, each state has provoked a revolt. In this article, I will explore the genesis of nationalist movements and seek to answer the question “What are the causes of nationalist movements?” Nationalist theories have often failed to accurately encompass many cases of nationalism. The reason lies in the highly subjective nature of nationalism due to the constantly varied action of the actors involved. For this reason, the study of nationalism has no real definition; instead, it's filled with vague theories. As Hugh Seton-Watson, author of Nations and States: an Inquiry into the Origins of Nations and the Politics of Nationalism (1977), writes, "I am led to the conclusion that no 'scientific definition' of the nation can be designed; yet the phenomenon existed and e...... middle of paper ...... American democracy. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2011. Migdal, Joel S. Strong Societies and Weak States: State-Society Relations and State Capabilities in the Third World. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1988. O'leary, Brendan. "On the Nature of Nationalism: An Assessment of Ernest Gellner's Writings on Nationalism." » British Journal of Political Science 27: 191-222. Scheepers, Peer and Marcel Coenders. “The effect of education on nationalism and ethnic exclusionism: an international comparison.” Political Psychology 24: 313-343. Seton-Watson, Hugh. Nations and States. An investigation into the origins of nations and the politics of nationalism. . Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press, 1977. World Bank (May 6, 2014). Tunisia spreadsheet. World Bank (May 6, 2014). Egyptian worksheet. “Egypt protests: Major demonstrations underway” Associated Press: January 27, 2011.