Jason Arday dead

[ThisWiseRobin]

Just putting this out there, but just heared.A sad end to a whole sorry mess.

It’s not just the DM, but there is a distinction between legitimate reporting and sensationalist click bait. This story had everything that the DM needs to get its readership frothing at the mouth.

OK, so we are agreed that it's in bad taste.

Oh dear.

So unnecessary, feel very sorry for his family.

This is just untrue. I’m not going to link any as it seems inappropriate at this point but the Guardian wrote a series of articles, including some of their own investigations. Other papers too.

Cambridge University and the GLP helped keep the story going by their initial over the top support then their gradual sly withdrawal of support.

‘No one could have predicted expected this’, well yes, anyone who is a minority and isolated and has been bullied left right and centre, as well as being publicly humiliated, yes, this is how far such people are pushed. Yes, this was sadly foreseen in professional black circles. And yes, all those other people on threads accusing him and belating his work should be ashamed, like lynch mobs. How many of us with phds know people who have not written their own phds, quite a few I would wager.

I don’t think that’s a controversial statement. Anyone familiar with the DM would understand.

That doesn’t usually make them disable comments

But @Marasmedon’t you think that regardless of skin colour and NT profile, if someone in academia had spun so many yarns that they had been hired for a job they were barely qualified for and were actively promoted as the “youngest person ever” and then actually got a memoir launched off the back of it in which they claimed lots of additional extraordinary feats that were the basis for selling the memoir that were really not possible on closer scrutiny, that person would have attracted attention? Surely if it is big enough as a story to get a book deal, it will obviously attract attention?

RIP JA. You didn’t deserve to die and it is sad you felt so desperate. Condolences to your family.

Is that all you're concerned about, scoring cheap political points. That word frothing again. Other news outlets reported on this case. The fact that the Daily Mail had disabled comments has got you jumping to conclusions.

I think there's some constructive discussion here, and most people are trying to post with thought and sensitivity. Let's not point fingers, as that will get this thread taken down. I think it's helpful to acknowledge that nobody has all the facts here, and no cause of death has been announced as it's so recent.

Why were you hunting for the comments? I think I can guess.

You seem to be using this tragedy to have a go at a newspaper when many newspapers have been writing many articles about the case. I don’t want to be rude but using this sad death in this way seems quite tacky to me.

IME that would never happen to a white academic (I am one) because white academics are not othered and exoticised in the way that academics of colour are.

You are absolutely correct. No one does have the facts. It’s mostly just speculation in all respects. I’m hopeful that more concrete facts will be established in due course and hopefully lessons can be learned. In the meantime I just send condolences to his friends and family.

Hunting? Eh? I just looked at the article and then went to look at the comments

The circumstances around this case were exceptional. It wasn't just a case of alleged plagiarism.

Did the GLP withdraw support? That’s important if they do a u-turn now that he’s died.

I think its just so desperately sad to be honest.

I dont know the details, but the media have a lot to answer for. When will they stop?

Caroline Flack comes to mind as another tragedy.

@ClaudettedeBeauvoiri disagree. His race allowed the fantasies to continue unchecked but the story itself would be published regardless. Think of the Salt Path...

Professional scrutiny, yes. Not scrutiny in the DM, and front page endless resurfacing of all potential errors and exageration.

I don t think my colleague X, a well known bullying academic with a penchant for creativity with data and stealing other people s ideas ever made it on the DM, despite being a regular on TV science progs.

How many of us with phds know people who have not written their own phds, quite a few I would wager

If that’s the case, it’s very worrying and suggests that there is a need to look at academia in more detail. This sad case is not just about one man, it is also about the university system, hence the level of interest. You seem to be suggesting this interest is very much needed.

Yes that’s my point. The circumstances were exceptional because Arday is black. White academics are not held up as “the first” or “the youngest” and they don’t give interviews about their early lives. They are allowed to get on with their teaching and research and make any mistakes in relative privacy. Arday was put in a highly vulnerable and exposed position that a white person would never find themselves in.

no. just no. Academia does not need trials by public opinion.