LONDON, Aug. 14 (World Daily Times) — Jason Arday, a former University of Cambridge professor, was reported dead Friday after police were called to a property in Battersea, south London. The Metropolitan Police said a 41-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene.
The death was being treated as unexpected but was not believed to be suspicious, police said. Officers from the force’s Central South Command Unit are handling the case, and police said Arday’s next of kin had been informed and supported. A file is expected to be prepared for the coroner.
The Guardian reported that the deceased was believed to be Arday. The supplied police account does not include a formal identification, a cause of death or postmortem findings.
What happened at Cambridge?
Cambridge announced Aug. 5 that it had opened an investigation into new information about Arday’s academic qualifications and honorary appointments. Arday resigned immediately from his position at the university and from his fellowship at Jesus College.
In a resignation statement published by the Good Law Project, Arday denied wrongdoing. He said accusations, speculation and public commentary had taken a serious toll on him and people close to him.
Cambridge appointed Arday as a professor of sociology of education in 2023. The university and news reports described him as Cambridge’s youngest-ever Black professor.
What were the allegations?
The allegations included claims that portions of Arday’s 2015 doctoral thesis had been copied from other work without proper attribution. They also raised questions about statements concerning his career, achievements, personal life and medical conditions.
Those claims remained allegations in the information available about the case. Cambridge had not announced the results of its investigation, and no final institutional finding was identified.
Liverpool John Moores University, where Arday earned his doctorate, was reported to have investigated direct complaints about his dissertation. The university said his PhD remained valid and that the investigation had cleared him of wrongdoing.
Philosopher Nathan Cofnas published allegations about Arday’s academic work in July, according to The Atlantic. The supplied information does not establish that Cofnas’ claims were adopted as findings by Cambridge or any court.
What role did the memoir play?
Arday’s memoir, Great and Unfortunate Things, was published in the United States during the week of his death, according to information from publisher Simon & Schuster. A UK publication was scheduled for later in August.
Simon & Schuster said it was proud to publish Arday and defended the professionalism and integrity he brought to the book’s publication. The supplied information does not establish the memoir’s final publication date in every market.
Are criminal charges involved?
No. The supplied records identify no arrest, criminal charge, court case or prosecutor connected with the plagiarism allegations. The controversy involved academic and professional questions, while Cambridge’s institutional investigation was separate from the Metropolitan Police inquiry into the death.
Police have not reported suspicious circumstances in the death. They have also not released a cause of death or described further investigative findings.
