Cambridge DEI Hire Faces Plagiarism, Charity Claims Debunked

Cambridge University sociology professor Jason Arday, the youngest black professor ever appointed at the institution, is facing allegations of plagiarism and fabricating charity and athletic claims, The Times of London reported. The accusations have reignited debate over diversity hiring standards in academia.

The Times found similarities between Arday's 2015 doctoral thesis and the work of Paula Zwozdiak-Myers of Brunel University. Arday denied plagiarism. A petition organized by the Good Law Project, a progressive nonprofit, gathered more than 14,000 signatures in his support, including from Simon Baron-Cohen, director of the Autism Research Centre at Cambridge, and five Labour Party MPs, according to The New York Times.

Beyond the thesis, Arday claimed he ran 30 marathons in 35 days and raised £5.5 million for charity. Charity WaterAid told The Times it never sent volunteers abroad, contradicting Arday's account of installing water points in South America and west Africa. He also claimed to be a visiting professor at the University of Glasgow's school of education, which Glasgow denied. A security camera showed no hooded figure threatening him, as he had said.

Arday's supporters said the attacks are racially motivated. Critics said the case shows how DEI policies can override academic standards. The philosopher Paul Boghossian, cited in the original article, argued that disciplines that subordinate scholarly rigor to political projects will suppress conflicting evidence.

The scandal raises questions about Cambridge's appointment process. Arday has said he did not learn to read until 18. The Times of London reported that Cambridge has not commented on the latest allegations. The New York Times, which covered the story, is a publicly traded company with exposure to media reputation risk NYT stock page.