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Jason Arday found dead 20:29 - Aug 14 with 10960 views

Bloody hell

🔺 BREAKING: Jason Arday, the former University of Cambridge professor, has been found dead, police have said Mr Arday was pronounced dead after being found “unresponsive” at an address in Battersea, south London, on Friday afternoon Read more 👇
— The Times and Sunday Times (@thetimes.com) 2026-08-14T19:17:24.128Z

Jason Arday found dead on 10:36 - Aug 15 with 1242 views

Ewan_Oozami

Jason Arday found dead on 10:30 - Aug 15 by Dubtractor
This. Lowhouse loves a bit of culture war discourse, and loves the opportunity to have a jab at 'certain posters' on here. So here we are. [Post edited 15 Aug 10:33]

'certain posters' you say?

	You are the obsolete SRN4 to my Fairey Rotodyne....
Poll:	What else could go on top of the cake apart from icing and a cherry?

Jason Arday found dead on 10:37 - Aug 15 with 1227 views

Ewan_Oozami

Jason Arday found dead on 10:30 - Aug 15 by lowhouseblue
it's been the main national news story for a fortnight. we have posters who re-post every trivial social media panic when it comes to trump, or farage, or israel etc, etc. but on this national headline there's not a single post. even when the guardian says there's a rael problem, that's not re-posted. don't you wonder why.

It's only a Great Public Scandal and the main national news story for a fortnight because we have been told it is by certain sections of the media and other prominent influencers. Did Arday have any influence on say, Govt. policy? Was he a member of numerous think tanks trying to influence the news agenda? Did he appear on Newsnight regularly? Did he appear anywhere in the public discourse before this came to light? No, and as people have mentioned on this thread, all sorts of shocking things go on in academic institutions all the time. If this is a Great Public Scandal then maybe you need to have a look at things like Teeside and Ben Houchen, or Joshua Bonehill-Paine, or the treatment of disabled people, or any number of other things.

Why wasn't say, the situation around the Salt Path book treated in the same way for example? That affected many people who had terminal degenerative diseases and gave them false hope that might be a way out? Why wasn't that a Great Public Scandal.

Will be disappointed if I don't get "nonsense" or "complete rubbish" in any reply, I'd feel as though I'd let the board down if not.

	You are the obsolete SRN4 to my Fairey Rotodyne....
Poll:	What else could go on top of the cake apart from icing and a cherry?

Jason Arday found dead on 10:40 - Aug 15 with 1197 views

lowhouseblue

Jason Arday found dead on 10:30 - Aug 15 by Dubtractor
This. Lowhouse loves a bit of culture war discourse, and loves the opportunity to have a jab at 'certain posters' on here. So here we are. [Post edited 15 Aug 10:33]

you're the one framing it as 'culture war'. point to anything i have said which implies that.

this is a scandal in which major institutions have screwed up and attempted to cover up. that matters. why do you want to frame that as 'culture war'? why are 'certain popsters' so selective in what they take seriously?

And so as the loose-bowelled pigeon of time swoops low over the unsuspecting tourist of destiny, and the flatulent skunk of fate wanders into the air-conditioning system of eternity, I notice it's the end of the show

-2

Jason Arday found dead on 10:40 - Aug 15 with 1201 views

Axeldalai_lama

Jason Arday found dead on 10:30 - Aug 15 by lowhouseblue
it's been the main national news story for a fortnight. we have posters who re-post every trivial social media panic when it comes to trump, or farage, or israel etc, etc. but on this national headline there's not a single post. even when the guardian says there's a rael problem, that's not re-posted. don't you wonder why.

I don't think that I'm important enough or care enough why posters choose to NOT, that's NOT, do something, big, medium or small. I'm not their mum! Do you not feel a little bit silly analysing people and shaking a fist at a gotcha moment that people HAVEN'T done something?

You do you, and I get the direction of travel, but this comes across as pompous and silly, hence my post.

Jason Arday found dead on 10:48 - Aug 15 with 1147 views

lowhouseblue

Jason Arday found dead on 10:37 - Aug 15 by Ewan_Oozami

yes, he appeared regularly on the bbc. he even guest edited today. but that's very much a side issue.

"It's only a Great Public Scandal and the main national news story for a fortnight because we have been told it is by certain sections of the media"

that's not right. i can promise you in cambridge university people are furious about what has happened - nothing to do with the press, all to do with the utter failure of university administrators right up to the vc. it isn't divided on right v. left lines (or culture war lines as some would have it), there is very broad anger that the university has been made to look incompetent and ridiculous and has then tried to brush it all under the carpet. so your media invention line is just not real.

yes, there are other bad things in the world, but it doesn't excuse not engaging with this bad thing.

Jason Arday found dead on 10:49 - Aug 15 with 1141 views

Dubtractor

Jason Arday found dead on 10:40 - Aug 15 by lowhouseblue
you're the one framing it as 'culture war'. point to anything i have said which implies that. this is a scandal in which major institutions have screwed up and attempted to cover up. that matters. why do you want to frame that as 'culture war'? why are 'certain popsters' so selective in what they take seriously?

You not personally framing it as culture war doesn't change the fact that it very much is.

The whole framing of this in in certain media is about the over promotion of a black man because of woke EDI policies.

	I was born underwater, I dried out in the sun. I started humping volcanoes baby, when I was too young.
Poll:	Who are you voting for in the Council elections tomorrow?

Jason Arday found dead on 10:53 - Aug 15 with 1100 views

Ryorry

Jason Arday found dead on 10:37 - Aug 15 by Ewan_Oozami

"If this is a Great Public Scandal then maybe you need to have a look at things like ..."

Disabled & chronically ill 80-90 year olds in blocks of flats being left without running water for 5+days, & the privatised supplier's response being to dump 6l per person per day in the groundfloor entrance ...

(Sorry. Separate thread incoming, been meaning to post it for a couple of days).


Poll:	2nd Faragegate poll to see if, 3 days later, views have changed

Jason Arday found dead on 10:54 - Aug 15 with 1092 views

balcombeblue

Jason Arday found dead on 10:49 - Aug 15 by Dubtractor
You not personally framing it as culture war doesn't change the fact that it very much is. The whole framing of this in in certain media is about the over promotion of a black man because of woke EDI policies.

It is possible to separate legitimate concerns about the outcomes of DEI and this very tragic death.

Just best done in another thread.

Jason Arday found dead on 10:57 - Aug 15 with 1063 views

Dubtractor

Jason Arday found dead on 10:54 - Aug 15 by balcombeblue
It is possible to separate legitimate concerns about the outcomes of DEI and this very tragic death. Just best done in another thread.

Agreed.

	I was born underwater, I dried out in the sun. I started humping volcanoes baby, when I was too young.
Poll:	Who are you voting for in the Council elections tomorrow?

Jason Arday found dead on 10:58 - Aug 15 with 1036 views

lowhouseblue

Jason Arday found dead on 10:49 - Aug 15 by Dubtractor
You not personally framing it as culture war doesn't change the fact that it very much is. The whole framing of this in in certain media is about the over promotion of a black man because of woke EDI policies.

yes some may frame it in that way. people always try to add their own spin to every issue. just as you want to use the 'culture war' tag in order to dismiss it all. two sides of the same coin.

but that doesn't mean there isn't, quite separately from edi, a real issue. we have had a complete failure to uphold academic standards, something close to group think, a failure of the university to investigate, attempts to cover it up, threats to journalists and academics offering legitimate challenge, use of the police to attempt to silence challenge, appalling pr management, and, once it was exposed, inaction on the part of those running the university. even the guardian has called it out. one of the main people in cambridge demanding action could not be further from the 'anti-edi' brigade. there is real anger in cambridge which has nothing to do with rejecting edi.

Jason Arday found dead on 10:58 - Aug 15 with 1044 views

Axeldalai_lama

Jason Arday found dead on 10:40 - Aug 15 by lowhouseblue
you're the one framing it as 'culture war'. point to anything i have said which implies that. this is a scandal in which major institutions have screwed up and attempted to cover up. that matters. why do you want to frame that as 'culture war'? why are 'certain popsters' so selective in what they take seriously?

It can be both. You can choose to partake in this news story and discuss the points you want to, and others can decide that it has already been taken over by many as a culture war type aggressive bullying coverage and choose not to add to it.

Your thoughts that it is a scandal, whether it is or isn't have no bearing on whether people should discuss it, or whether it is also a culture war piece too. And vice versa.

Jason Arday found dead on 11:16 - Aug 15 with 916 views

bartyg

Jason Arday found dead on 06:54 - Aug 15 by GlasgowBlue

You raise an interesting point. The offending post, and the replies of condemnation including mine, was removed after it was reported as abuse. It was crass, insensitive and was a cheap attempt to score a political point from the tragic death Jason Arday.

Just one month ago after the death of Ann Widdecombe, a poster who has contributed to this very thread posted that her passing had “put a spring in [their] step and set [them] up nicely for the weekend”. That post was also reported as abuse and was condemned by several posters, although not by as many as the offending post in this thread. However, the report of abuse was not acted on and the post remained on the board for several pages until the entire thread was deleted after many more crass and insensitive posts.

So the question is, what should be the banning offence? Making cheap, crass political points over a tragic death. Or revelling in the death of somebody just minutes after that death has been announced?

Chill out Phoenix Wright, season starts soon.

FREE ISRAEL FROM THE IDF

Jason Arday found dead on 11:19 - Aug 15 with 894 views

Trequartista

Jason Arday found dead on 01:29 - Aug 15 by lowhouseblue
it's an absolute tragedy. and a lot of people have a lot to answer. but why is this the first time the whole story has appeared on here??

I'm not really sure that measuring how often a story appears on here is very scientific, things ebb and flow, sometimes there's nothing on a subject then a whole raft appear.

I do notice though how more people would rather sling insults than want to debate that with you and that when "racist", "fascist" etc cannot be stretched far enough as a riposte the new way to shut down debate is "culture war".

Poll:

Who do you blame for our failure to progress?

-1

Jason Arday found dead on 11:26 - Aug 15 with 843 views

DanTheMan

Jason Arday found dead on 11:19 - Aug 15 by Trequartista

I wonder if that's anything to do with the incredible double standard?

Anyone remember Dr William O’Reilly who was caught plagiarising his students? Works at the same university. Still does in fact, he just got a little telling off, no biggy.

Barely made the news.

Poll:

FM Parallel Game Week 1 (Fulham) - Available Team

Jason Arday found dead on 11:29 - Aug 15 with 826 views

Trequartista

Jason Arday found dead on 11:26 - Aug 15 by DanTheMan
I wonder if that's anything to do with the incredible double standard? Anyone remember Dr William O’Reilly who was caught plagiarising his students? Works at the same university. Still does in fact, he just got a little telling off, no biggy. Barely made the news.

Well there's an argument for that on both sides, both of which involve the racial aspect, for which is not really appropriate to explore further on this thread.

[Post edited 15 Aug 11:29]

Poll:

Who do you blame for our failure to progress?

Jason Arday found dead on 11:40 - Aug 15 with 740 views

DanTheMan

Jason Arday found dead on 11:29 - Aug 15 by Trequartista
Well there's an argument for that on both sides, both of which involve the racial aspect, for which is not really appropriate to explore further on this thread. [Post edited 15 Aug 11:29]

Why isn't it? He's dead and the media attention certainly seems to be an almost direct cause.

Or should we ignore the fact that the person who started digging him calls themselves a "race realist" and said that at Havard there would be close to zero Black professors in a meritocracy?

Should we maybe not examine how we've ended up here?

Poll:

FM Parallel Game Week 1 (Fulham) - Available Team

Jason Arday found dead on 11:48 - Aug 15 with 679 views

pointofblue

Jason Arday found dead on 10:40 - Aug 15 by lowhouseblue
you're the one framing it as 'culture war'. point to anything i have said which implies that. this is a scandal in which major institutions have screwed up and attempted to cover up. that matters. why do you want to frame that as 'culture war'? why are 'certain popsters' so selective in what they take seriously?

But were the press scrutinising the institutions that possibly failed in their duty to assess job applications and claims, or target Jason Arday because he was a black person who, they argued, was able to benefit from their failure?

Because, from what I've seen from the relentless articles, it appears to be more of the latter than the former.

Poll:

Who would you play at right centre back on Saturday?

Jason Arday found dead on 11:54 - Aug 15 with 659 views

balcombeblue

Jason Arday found dead on 11:48 - Aug 15 by pointofblue
But were the press scrutinising the institutions that possibly failed in their duty to assess job applications and claims, or target Jason Arday because he was a black person who, they argued, was able to benefit from their failure? Because, from what I've seen from the relentless articles, it appears to be more of the latter than the former.

It was also slightly more interesting given a lot of the claims made about him and his life which attracted more interest that the other plagiarism cases.

Jason Arday found dead on 11:58 - Aug 15 with 633 views

Trequartista

Jason Arday found dead on 11:40 - Aug 15 by DanTheMan
Why isn't it? He's dead and the media attention certainly seems to be an almost direct cause. Or should we ignore the fact that the person who started digging him calls themselves a "race realist" and said that at Havard there would be close to zero Black professors in a meritocracy? Should we maybe not examine how we've ended up here?

There will be bad actors of course, I don't think the Conservative Party would argue their last two leaders weren't elected on merit for example.

We should debate everything with no fear of giving offence, just maybe not on the thread of his death though.

Poll:

Who do you blame for our failure to progress?

-2

Jason Arday found dead on 12:10 - Aug 15 with 579 views

DJR

Jason Arday found dead on 11:19 - Aug 15 by Trequartista

I can't say I like the way this thread has developed in relation to someone who has recently taken their own life, and who is no longer able to defend themselves.

But leaving that aside, it is difficult to argue that there isn't a culture war aspect in the sense that many on the right despise DEI, and as the following suggests where the US goes, the UK follows not long after. Indeed, this could be said to be an early cry for help which should perhaps have been taken note of.

https://www.theguardian.com/ed

"When the superstar academic Jason Arday took to the stage at the British Sociological Association’s 75th anniversary conference earlier this year, he delivered a talk called Wanted Dead or Alive: the Playbook.

The youngest black professor in Cambridge University’s history told an audience of his peers that the playbook in question had helped bring down some of the biggest names in US academia. Conservative “activists” were trawling through the work of black academics, looking for anything to use against them: inconsistencies, citation errors, passages in their work that were similar to existing papers.

Once an error was identified, rightwing media outlets and conservative politicians joined the pile-on – heaping pressure on universities to cut ties.

Claudine Gay, the first black woman to become president of Harvard, was only in the post for seven months before she was forced out over plagiarism allegations. Others said they felt like “sitting ducks” as their work was pulled apart. Some senior black figures have killed themselves after persistent questioning of their work or qualifications.

The playbook was not restricted to the US, Arday explained. The same tactics were being used to bring down some of the UK’s most high-profile black academics.

“The instruments that are designed to protect academic integrity, designed to protect our wellbeing and our intellectual property, are weaponised,” he told the audience in April.

He called for his peers to defend him. “There isn’t any room to sit there and watch your fellows suffer for no reason. It’s abhorrent, it’s a disgrace and, quite frankly, evil,” he added. “That’s the cancer that we need to eradicate from academia.”"

Oh, for a return to the days when Toby Young or Liz Truss' dad helped get them into Oxford, or a place at Christ Church was guaranteed because you got into Eton because your dad did too.

[Post edited 15 Aug 12:12]

Jason Arday found dead on 12:17 - Aug 15 with 543 views

rkc123

Jason Arday found dead on 10:58 - Aug 15 by lowhouseblue

You say 'people always try to add their own spin to every issue'; you are the only 'people' in this thread that has done that, I assume you wrung your hands with glee as I responded to your baited post and you were able to take Jason Arday's death and twist this thread into the direction you were hoping for.

If academic standards and accountability are such a pressing concern to you then I assume you can direct me to your posts on Simon Goldhill being allowed to continue teaching despite being under investigation for sexual misconduct with a student at Cambridge? Or the business school professor at Oxford who was allowed to continue teaching despite being investigated for rape? Or a recent study that reported that 30% of academics questioned had witnessed other academics plagiarise in their work? (this was not UK specific though I don't believe).

I am not defending all of Jason Arday's decisions in life, and certainly think Cambridge University have some serious questions to answer regarding their appointment process, handling of the accusations, and most significantly their care for Jason (or lack thereof) after he resigned; but I think anyone with any decency would realise this isn't the thread for all that.

[Post edited 15 Aug 12:22]

Jason Arday found dead on 12:18 - Aug 15 with 537 views

Trequartista

Jason Arday found dead on 12:10 - Aug 15 by DJR

[Post edited 15 Aug 12:12]

Yes i should clarify I'm not saying there is not a culture war aspect, I'm saying one side shouldn't be saying something along the lines of "that's just culture war, so I don't need to challenge that assertion". In other words, a war is fought by two sides. For whatever argument is defined as culture war, then both sides with their opposing positions are fighting it.

Poll:

Who do you blame for our failure to progress?

Jason Arday found dead on 12:22 - Aug 15 with 515 views

DJR

Jason Arday found dead on 12:18 - Aug 15 by Trequartista
Yes i should clarify I'm not saying there is not a culture war aspect, I'm saying one side shouldn't be saying something along the lines of "that's just culture war, so I don't need to challenge that assertion". In other words, a war is fought by two sides. For whatever argument is defined as culture war, then both sides with their opposing positions are fighting it.

Apart from those in the black community, there seemed to be little kick-back from the other side. It's also an unequal fight given the power that the media has once they set their sights on someone.

I am not sure I would like to be a black academic at the moment, although maybe Arday's death will hold things in check.

[Post edited 15 Aug 12:27]

Jason Arday found dead on 12:25 - Aug 15 with 492 views

lowhouseblue

Jason Arday found dead on 11:26 - Aug 15 by DanTheMan
I wonder if that's anything to do with the incredible double standard? Anyone remember Dr William O’Reilly who was caught plagiarising his students? Works at the same university. Still does in fact, he just got a little telling off, no biggy. Barely made the news.

the two cases are very different. o'reilly was a one off and a proper procedure found it not to be deliberate. it was in one article and the rest of his publications stand unaltered. with arday his phd doesn't stand up once the plagiarised sections are removed (which is admittedly a question for jmu, but their standards in this seem very low) but it was also repeated across much more of his published work. even setting aside the plagiarism his published work is nowhere near the standard for a named chair, to the extent that it is really very hard to believe that any of the appointment committee read his work. for example, corrections to one published article included the deletion of the entire methodology section clearly suggesting that he hadn't done what he had claimed. so plagiarism is only one part of the story with araday, and frankly his appointment makes no sense on the basis of his academic achievements.

Jason Arday found dead on 12:34 - Aug 15 with 445 views

lowhouseblue

Jason Arday found dead on 11:40 - Aug 15 by DanTheMan
Why isn't it? He's dead and the media attention certainly seems to be an almost direct cause. Or should we ignore the fact that the person who started digging him calls themselves a "race realist" and said that at Havard there would be close to zero Black professors in a meritocracy? Should we maybe not examine how we've ended up here?

'the person who started digging him calls themselves a "race realist"'

actually that person only became involved after the times higher reporter had been forced to abandon a planned expose by legal threats and an illegitimate police investigation. this all pre-dates the 'race-realist'

whoever reported this, and whatever their motive, it doesn't alter the fact that something has gone very wrong. dismissing well evidenced problems on the basis of who is pointing to them is one of the reasons that honesty and objectivity are rotting in online debate.

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