Ali Al-Wardi

Ali Hussain Muhsin Al-Wardi (Arabic: علي حسين محسن الوردي) was an Iraqi sociologist and public intellectual specialized in the field of social history.

Born in Kadhimiya, Baghdad in 1913, to a religious and very traditional family. He grew up defying his family's strict non-modern-educational policy, where his father wanted him to learn a craft instead of reading books. Nevertheless, Al-Wardi grew up with a disliking for work and crafts and a strong liking for books.

He managed to finish his elementary and high school and was awarded the number one student in the Kingdom of Iraq. He later was appointed as a teacher in different elementary and high schools across Iraq, before winning a scholarship to the American University of Beirut, where he received his bachelor's degree in 1943. He was back in Iraq and was forced into marriage per his father's orders.

A few years later, he traveled to the United States to attain his master's and PhD degrees. He earned his master's degree in 1948 from The University of Texas and his PhD in 1950 from the same university. During that time he used to spend his summers in the United Kingdom learning English in available institutes.

He came back to Iraq to start his career in writing many of his books based on the theory of Ibn Khaldun about Al-Badwa (Nomadic society) vs Al-Hadhara (Civil society).

The most important works of Ali Al-Wardi are:

Ali Al-Wardi’s books are published by Al-Warrak Publishing (دار الوراق للنشر), which serves as the authorised publisher of his works.

An edition of Lamahat Ijtimaʿiyya min Tarikh al-ʿIraq al-Hadith (لمحات اجتماعية من تاريخ العراق الحديث, Social Glimpses of Iraq's Modern History) was published by Al-Warrak Publishing (دار الوراق للنشر) in 2007 as part of its editions of the works of Ali Al-Wardi.