Jason Arday says he is not a liar amid plagiarism row
Jason Arday has denied plagiarism claims, saying he is not a liar and branding allegations he is a fraud as cruel, racially motivated and blind to his autism. Cambridge bosses face a staff revolt over the diversity poster-boy row, while his publishers say book plans will go ahead.
Key Takeaways
- Jason Arday rejects plagiarism claims as cruel and racially motivated, citing his autism.
- Cambridge and Liverpool John Moores say investigations found no wrongdoing.
- The Telegraph reports Cambridge bosses face a staff revolt over the row.
- Critics flag extensive thesis overlap with an earlier Brunel PhD.
- Simon & Schuster and Routledge say publication plans are unchanged.
What has Jason Arday said about the plagiarism claims?
In remarks reported by The Times, Jason Arday insisted he is not a liar after being accused of plagiarism.
The Cambridge sociology of education professor — the youngest Black professor ever appointed at the university — said claims he is a fraud are cruel and racially motivated, and do not account for his autism.
Arday was appointed at 37 after a widely told backstory: diagnosed with autism, non-verbal until 11, and learning to read and write at 18 before earning a doctorate and rising through UK academia.
Why are Cambridge bosses under pressure?
The plagiarism dispute has split peers and spilled onto campus politics. Critics say passages in Arday’s PhD thesis and later work are identical or nearly identical to other scholarship without proper attribution.
An analysis for The Telegraph found more than 100 passages in his thesis matching or closely matching a 2009 Brunel University PhD by Paula Zwozdiak-Myers. Arday’s thesis mentions her 17 times; the dispute turns on whether every paraphrase needed clearer credit.
Dave Harris, an emeritus professor who alerted Cambridge and Liverpool John Moores in 2023, said key sections “seem to display indications of serious plagiarism.”
Cambridge called the claims part of a “vile campaign to undermine his credibility” and said investigations cleared him. Liverpool John Moores said a confidential process left his PhD standing. Still, Celebrity Breaking News coverage notes The Telegraph’s report that Cambridge bosses now face a staff revolt over the diversity poster-boy row.
Will Jason Arday’s books still be published?
Despite the academic storm, commercial plans are holding. The Bookseller reports that Simon & Schuster and Routledge will not alter their plans for Arday, even amid the plagiarism row over some of his academic output.
His memoir, Great and Unfortunate Things, is due next month, arriving as supporters frame the attacks as racist smears and critics demand fresh, independent scrutiny.
For now, Arday’s public line is clear: he is not a liar, universities say he was cleared, publishers are proceeding — and Cambridge’s leadership is absorbing the political heat of a campus revolt.