Star Cambridge professor resigns amid plagiarism allegations

Jason Arday, the sociologist who became Cambridge University's youngest Black professor at 37 in 2023, has resigned after facing weeks of allegations of plagiarism and fabrications in his academic work. Arday, who claimed to be autistic and dyslexic, said he is resigning due to the "limits of what any person should reasonably be expected to endure."

He denies any deliberate wrongdoing, calling the criticism "ideologically and racially motivated." The allegations surfaced in July when philosopher Nathan Cofnas, a Cambridge researcher, accused Arday of plagiarism in his PhD thesis and subsequent papers. He used a plagiarism-detection program and found extensive plagiarism, including verbatim copying and phraseology changes.

However, Liverpool John Moores University, where Arday completed his PhD, found no evidence of academic misconduct. Cofnas also raised doubts about Arday's personal accomplishments, such as his claims of raising millions for charity and publishing a book, but acknowledged that these could not be definitively proven or disproven.

Arday's supporters argue that the scrutiny is an ideological campaign against him for his work on race, inequality, and diversity, while critics question academic standards and the impact of diversity, equity, and inclusion practices in higher education.