Cambridge Professor Jason Arday Faces Plagiarism and Other Allegations

The article discusses Professor Jason Arday, the youngest black professor in Cambridge University’s history, who spoke at the British Sociological Association’s 75th anniversary conference about a "playbook" used to target black academics. He described tactics involving conservative "activists" scrutinizing the work of black academics for errors, followed by right-wing media and politicians pressuring universities. He cited the case of Claudine Gay at Harvard, who was forced out over plagiarism allegations. Arday warned that similar tactics were being used in the UK and called for his peers to defend academics from such attacks.

Last week, a controversy erupted concerning Arday’s own academic work. The Telegraph reported that analysis found over 100 passages in his PhD were similar to another thesis published six years earlier by Paula Zwozdiak-Myers. This report followed a Substack post by Nathan Cofnas, an academic previously involved in a free speech dispute at Cambridge, who claimed he used plagiarism detection software on Arday’s PhD. Cofnas, a self-defined “race realist,” was sacked by Cambridge’s Emmanuel College in 2024 but an investigation concluded his views did not breach law or university regulations on free speech.

Another critic, Dr David Harris, professor emeritus at Plymouth Marjon University, had previously raised concerns about Arday’s work, leading to corrections in two papers. Harris had his professor emeritus title temporarily stripped after a "controversial" post about critical race theory.

Cambridge University robustly defended Arday, calling the claims a “vile smear campaign to undermine his credibility.” An open letter supporting Arday, signed by figures like Green party leader Zack Polanski and academic Kehinde Andrews, argued it was “an orchestrated and grim effort to delegitimise a brilliant, young, working-class academic for the sin of being successful while Black.” Cambridge stated that Liverpool John Moores, where Arday completed his PhD, had reviewed the work and found no plagiarism. A Cambridge spokesperson confirmed that investigations are carried out by the institution where research was undertaken. Arday himself stated that multiple thorough investigations, including an academic misconduct panel, concluded there was no plagiarism.

However, some prominent academics of colour told the Guardian that the plagiarism claims were legitimate and risked undermining others who study race. One anonymous academic stated, “I think it’s plagiarism and it’s obvious.” John Preston, an emeritus professor of sociology, added that “there is, in my judgment, a case to answer here.” Some argued that Arday was under unfair scrutiny, but others felt it was "fair for someone at Cambridge." Right-wing publications have covered the story with "outrage and 'I-told-you-so' self-righteousness," with Arday described as a “diversity poster boy” by The Telegraph. Arday told The Times he was accountable for mistakes but found the "cruelty" and "positioning of me as this kind of liar and fantasist" unacceptable.

Cambridge faces questions about its judgment in Arday’s appointment, given its scrutiny over diversity following the Black Lives Matter movement. Arday’s arrival in March 2023 made headlines due to his backstory: diagnosed with autism and global developmental delay at three, unable to speak until 11 or read/write until 18, he still forged an impressive academic career. His memoir is due this autumn.

Beyond academic record, Arday’s charity fundraising claims have been questioned. He claimed to have raised £5m (sometimes £5.5m) for charities over 20 years, including running 30 marathons in 35 days and 600 miles in six days. Critics online pointed out the staggering amount for a non-famous individual. Arday clarified to the Guardian that the £5m was raised with "many fundraising collectives" and cited NDAs for not disclosing others involved. Regarding the 600 miles in six days, he clarified it was completed over a 12-day period due to rest days. Two universities, Southampton Solent and Anglia Ruskin, amended their websites regarding his honorary degrees, changing the 600 miles citation and the six-day claim to 12 days.

Tennis player Andy Murray recounted Arday's story of running 30 marathons in 35 days despite an epileptic fit and a hairline fracture on day 20, which inspired Murray. Arday said he continued to avoid having to pay back thousands of pounds. Doctors told the Guardian running nine marathons with such a fracture would be incredibly painful but technically possible. Arday's memoir states he used painkillers and endured a swollen leg.

Arday also claims to be a victim of physical abuse and intimidation. He reported receiving racist emails and, in a July 2025 open letter, claimed to have been "threatened with a knife, physically assaulted and spat on; [had] rape and death threats being made to him and his family; bananas and bullets being posted to him...; and corrosive substances and mutilated animals sent to his family home." He told the Guardian he was confronted twice by a masked man at his faculty building, with a knife used in the second incident. He said he hit a panic alarm during the second confrontation, but no one responded, and the intruder was not picked up by CCTV. Arday did not report either intrusion at the time, continuing his workday.

He confirmed the "mutilated animals" was a severed pig’s head sent to his parents' home, which he claimed to have intercepted and thrown away, reporting it to police months later. He subsequently claimed police investigated, checking butchers. However, the butchers he named denied police inquiries, and London’s Metropolitan police stated Arday’s details were "categorically" incorrect and no investigation had taken place. Arday had lodged a harassment complaint against Harris, which Devon and Cornwall police declined to pursue. Arday took no photographs of the alleged items (bullet, banana, corrosive substance, pig’s head), and only close family members saw some items. He could produce no messages discussing these with others. A Cambridge University spokesperson said enhanced security measures were taken after Arday shared concerns with the faculty a number of enhanced security measures were urgently taken in response, with the advice and continuing engagement of university secur