15/08/2026
I was observing the allegations of academic plagiarism unfold with interest and, I’m not going to lie, some concern, especially in light of Jason Arday being both neurodivergent and black.
It’s hard to process the tragedy of- whatever academic mistakes he may or may not have made- Jason Arday (presumably) feeling there was no alternative but to take his own life in the context of huge public shaming and relentless media-based hounding.
I’m not neurodivergent, or of an ethnic minority myself, but have the great privilege of spending time with many people who are, and who trust me as confidante of their life challenges, misunderstandings, shamings, and discriminations, as well as many, many, many successes.
So I needed to pause to acknowledge the quite frankly unnecessary passing of someone who was ultimately a human being who happened to have additional difficulties to navigate, and was brave enough to use his intelligence and strengths to step out into the public eye to become a role model and inspiration to many people. I didn’t know him but I imagine he tried his best to do so with as much dignity and honesty as he could at the time. Perhaps he didn’t always get it right but hey, who does?
I’m so sad that in 2026 we are collectively unable to provide sufficient support and the empathetic response that was in retrospect clearly needed, or at least that this didn’t balance out the other more negative and bullying factors at play. But at the same time I am also not surprised.
I do hope that authentic and genuine reflection takes place at multiple levels across academic, political, media based, social and personal spheres to consider what may have been needed, or avoided, for things to have panned out differently.
And for anyone who is feeling affected or similarly hopeless please do reach out as there really are so many sources of support to help get you through the roughest of times.
Call or connect online with 111, Samaritans, CALM, Papyrus, Childline, or SOS Silence of Su***de (to name but a few)
Barely 1% of professors at UK universities are black, so he was joining a small and highly visible minority in academia, writes Education Editor Branwen Jeffreys.
