Jason Arday, DEI, and the dilemma facing black academics

Thu, 20 Aug 2026 23:26:36 +0000

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How did a prominent Cambridge professor come to embody the fault lines around DEI in higher education?

Three years ago, Jason Arday was celebrated as the youngest black professor ever appointed at the University of Cambridge.

But recent questions about his academic work and his life story became the subject of fierce media scrutiny — scrutiny that only intensified after Arday was found dead at his South London home last week.

Police have said his death was unexpected, but not believed to be suspicious. Now, Arday’s personal narrative is raising broader questions about the responsibility of universities to vet high-profile hires, the media’s role in amplifying a firestorm of controversy, and the deepening cultural divide over diversity and inclusion in liberal institutions.

Asma Khalid of The Global Story speaks with BBC Education Editor Branwen Jeffreys and Tyler Austin Harper of The Atlantic about Arday’s story — and what it reveals about the limits of inclusion in higher education.

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Chapters:
00:00 What happened to Jason Arday?
02:03 Why was Jason Arday's appointment so significant?
04:03 When did stories about Jason Arday start?
07:36 What were the allegations against Jason Arday?
09:36 DEI programmes in universities
14:14 Tyler Austin Harper talks about being a DEI hire
17:47 The debate around DEI hires in the work place
20:45 Was Jason Arday targeted by people with agendas?
23:49 The experience of being black in universities

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