Tributes pour in for Prof. Arday after his sudden death

British sociologist and Cambridge professor Jason Arday has died at the age of 41, days after resigning from his position amid plagiarism allegations.

Arday was found unresponsive at a home in South London on Friday, UK media reported. His family said a “campaign of misinformation” had been “too much for Jason, who always wanted to see the best in everyone.”

Arday became Cambridge’s youngest Black professor in 2023 at age 37. He had spoken publicly about overcoming dyslexia, developmental delays, and autism, which he said left him non-verbal until age 11 and illiterate until his late teens.

He resigned last week after weeks of media scrutiny over allegations of plagiarism in his academic work and questions about claims regarding his athletic and fundraising accomplishments. He denied plagiarism but admitted to some mistakes in his doctorate.

Cambridge’s vice-chancellor Deborah Prentice, who announced the university would investigate the circumstances around Arday’s employment, said she was “desperately saddened.”

Questions about Arday’s qualifications were raised publicly by Nathan Cofnas, a former Cambridge philosophy researcher who left the university after his critique of diversity programmes sparked protests. The Times of London published an analysis highlighting what it said were passages “identical or near-identical” to another researcher’s work.

Dozens of Cambridge academics had signed a letter calling for an independent inquiry into Arday’s appointment. Cambridge initially stood by Arday but later opened an investigation following new information.

SOURCE: MRA