Ali Al-Wardi

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Ali Hussain Muhsin Al-Wardi (Arabic: علي حسين محسن الوردي) was an Iraqi sociologist and public intellectual who studied social history. He was born on 24 October 1913 in Kadhimiya, Baghdad, into a traditional religious family. His father wanted him to learn a craft, but Ali loved books and school, becoming the top student in Iraq. He worked as a teacher in different schools before winning a scholarship to the American University of Beirut, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in 1943. After returning to Iraq, he was pressured to marry. He later went to the United States for graduate studies, earning a master’s degree in 1948 and a PhD in 1950 from the University of Texas. He also spent summers in the United Kingdom to study English.

Back in Iraq, Al-Wardi wrote many books based on Ibn Khaldun’s theory of Bedouin society (Al-Badwa) versus civilized society (Al-Hadhara). His most notable works include A Study into the Nature of Iraqi Society and Preachers of the Sultans. In 2014, the Iraqi Ministry of Culture oversaw the translation of his Social Glimpses of Iraq’s Modern History. He passed away on 13 July 1995 in Adhamiyah, Baghdad, at age 81. He left four children: Hassan, Jaafar, Faisal, and Sina’a.