The Jason Arday scandal

[Ilikesundays]

To think that Cambridge University’s reputation has been shot to pieces by the revelations about ex-professor Jason Arday?

Has anyone seen the BlueSky profile for Jason Arday? Sorry if it's been mentioned. It's most odd. Account opened early 2024 and looks fairly legit, but then the posts get stranger. Wonder if it's really him, or was him and it's since been hacked.

We can agree to disagree.

He can't spell profession properly.

A white woman "Walter Mittified" her life (The Salt Path) and received the same level of opprobrium. Nobody likes liars, fantasists and people who use disability to cheat. The right wing press appear to be taking the piss out of white, guilt ridden liberals who want to treat the disabled and minorities as pets, rather than any hating on actual POC academics. The white, guilt ridden academics are pretty much a disease right now especially in museums which is a specialist interest of mine with their obsession with "decolonalisation." People who attend museums go there to enjoy the paintings and artefacts, not be hectored about how evil they are for participating in slavery (most of whom have never participated in such acts.)

I see over-promoted white men all around so I don’t necessarily agree. Arguably they’re the most over-promoted demographic - cf Boris Johnson, Trump etc.

He is not a fantasist though, he is a very deliberate liar.

I referred to the initiative once early on. I'm more focused on how a fantasist managed to fake his way in academia for so long.

He is a liar and not a very good one.

He also thinks Carter Ruck is as inspirational as him. Which is an interesting comment given Carter Ruck's reputation and how it's been earned. All very odd.

What museums can you be visiting? I can’t say a museum has ever hectored me for ‘participating in slavery’.

Oh my goodness. You haven't actually been to a museum them?

Private Eye had run ins with them and called them Carter Fuck.

I am not on blue sky. Please expand… this guy is hilarious and I am totally overinvested.

I work in the museum sector - decolonisation of museum collections has been around for ages. It's just an acceptance that not everything on display arrived there with the permission of the original owners. No-one gets hectored about anything. It's just adding context to the description of the artifacts.

Guide | Supporting Decolonisation in Museums - Museums Association https://share.google/oPWHpqTEzPXuiziyu
It's in every Museum right now.

No it's not adding context. It's offensive hectoring which puts people off visiting. They don't want to be told they have participated in a crime and are guilty.

If you work in a museum maybe you should sack yourself as every museum in this country holds objects and paintings acquired abroad. Let's go one step further and close all the museums and galleries in the UK. I think Museum curators should maybe take a more useful job as a street sweeper or toilet cleaner as they think our heritage is rubbish

I go to museums all the time. Decolonisation issues are not new, nor are they hectoring.

Which museum's labels upset you?

Well speak for yourself. I want to know the provenance of objects.

Looks like JA will be ok, he’s got the ‘Tit Whisperer’ backing him.

news.sky.com/story/zack-polanski-defends-cambridge-professor-who-resigned-amid-plagiarism-row-13570302

Blue Sky was also Heather Herbert's home at one point. Hilarious that it was where all the liberals flocked to, for a higher level of morality. What went wrong I wonder.

Yes, I put this on the other Jason Arday, Plagiarism, thread:

Another good example of why it is Cambridge that should get scrutiny. This professor accused of plagiarism set the lawyers on student journalists:

Plagiarising professor stays in post and threatens student journalists | Varsity

Then got found out for plagiarism again, and is still at Cambridge:

Copycat don caught again | Varsity

The above case featured in the Financial Times, as well:

casts doubt on the internal disciplinary processes of Cambridge, which rely on academics judging their peers.

Cambridge professor remains in post despite plagiarism

You've got to wonder. If it's a hacker, it's an odd one. Playlist is hilarious.Prof Jason Arday (@profjasonarday.bsky.social) — Bluesky

Never, ever underestimate the vindictiveness of the ruling classes.