Ali al-Wardi: An incomplete reading on the nature of Iraq’s modern society

This article is a critical assessment of Ali al-Wardi’s thoughts informed by the author’s conversations with al-Wardi some twenty years ago. It is an attempt to revisit al-Wardi’s work on the study of the Iraqi personality and society so as to build on his early seminal theses, complementing his courage and personal commitments. In homage to al-Wardi’s legacy, the author feels that a critical evaluation is essential to keeping the work that builds on this legacy vigorous and relevant. The author concludes by saying that ‘most of the groundbreaking ideas which were influential to contemporary Arab political thought were from his very early academic output’. However, the challenges of today’s Iraq are not far removed from those of al-Wardi’s time.