Iliya F. Harik (1934-2007) was scholar of comparative and Middle Eastern politics and society and a Professor Emeritus at the Department of Political Science at Indiana University, Bloomington, where he taught from 1964 to 1998. He was born in Lebanon on July 20, 1934 and grew up in the village of Dhour al-Shwayr. After graduating from Shwayr Secondary School, he attended the American University of Beirut, where he earned his B.A. in Philosophy in 1956 and M.A. in Arab Studies in 1958. While at AUB, Harik met Elsa Marston, a writer of children's literature. The couple married in England in 1959 and eventually had three children. Harik attended the London School of Economics and Political Science from 1959−1960 on a scholarship from the British Council and went on to earn his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in 1964.

Harik joined the Department of Political Science at Indiana University, Bloomington, in 1964. During his time at IU, he taught courses in Middle Eastern and comparative politics, government, and development, and he helped establish and direct the university's Middle Eastern Studies Center (1980−1983). His research led to the publication of numerous books and articles in both English and Arabic, including The Political Mobilization of Peasants: A Study of an Egyptian Community (1974), Economic Policy Reform in Egypt (1997), and Democracy and the Paradoxes of Cultural Diversity: Beyond the Veil of Difference (2003). Harik also held visiting lecturer and faculty positions at several institutions, including the American University of Beirut (1980), Cornell University (1978-1979), the American Research Center in Egypt (director, 1990-1992).

Throughout his career Harik was an active participant in conferences, professional societies, and academic publishing. He was a member of the board of directors of Middle East Studies Association (MESA) (1973-1976), the editorial board of Journal of Arab Affairs (1981-1990) and the advisory board of the Middle East Journal (1997-?). He also participated in a number of international initiatives related to development, politics, and public policy in the Middle East and North Africa. From 1974-1975, Harik served as the Director of Education and Social Science for the North Africa office of the Ford Foundation. He also served as a consultant for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) from 1976-1979.

After retiring from his position at Indiana University in 1998, Harik continued to participate in conferences and international education initiatives, including visiting lectureships at the Lebanese American University in Beirut. He passed away in Bloomington, Indiana on February 24, 2007.