The academic career and subsequent death of Cambridge professor Jason Arday are a casualty of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, according to an opinion piece published in The Spectator UK.
Arday, who died by apparent suicide amid a plagiarism scandal, was elevated by the academy's focus on "decolonization" and DEI, the article contends. This elevation, which critics describe as a "cult of woke," ultimately contributed to his downfall when questions about his academic record surfaced.
The author of the piece, Brendan O'Neill, chief political writer for the British online magazine spiked, suggests that Arday was made into a "golden boy" by the academic establishment, which overlooked potential issues with his credentials. This "philistine project" of "decolonization" created a "black genius" and a "black savior" figure, whose carefully constructed legend was unsustainable.
"It was reckless in the extreme for the intellectual elites to fashion a new 'black genius' and then say 'Oops' when his carefully curated legend started to fray at the seams," O'Neill writes. He argues that the pursuit of identity politics led to a situation where Arday was both celebrated and ultimately exposed, resulting in a "tragedy foretold."
The article posits that Arday benefited from this system, achieving a professorship at Cambridge, but was simultaneously set up for a fall. The foundation of his career, built on myth, was inherently unstable. O'Neill criticizes the "ideological blindness" of academics who did not foresee the consequences of promoting Arday based on identity rather than solely on merit.
Some black thinkers reportedly had reservations about Arday but remained silent, prioritizing their adherence to the "cult of diversity" over concern for a colleague facing "fabulism" allegations. This, the article claims, highlights a prioritization of "identitarianism" over the well-being of individuals.
Critics of the DEI movement, as represented in the piece, argue that it leads to the "demonization or infantilization" of individuals based on race, with white individuals often branded "privileged" and black individuals seen as "oppressed" or "perma-victims."
The media's role in reporting on the scandal is framed by the article as fulfilling its duty by uncovering and reporting the story, in contrast to the perceived failures of the academy and Arday's colleagues.
"It was the academy and Arday's colleagues who failed to do their jobs," O'Neill states. "They failed to prize merit over identity, and failed to foresee the public embarrassment that would befall their falsely promoted friend."