A Cambridge professor at the center of a plagiarism controversy defended his work, arguing he has faced what he called an orchestrated effort to remove him amid wider political scrutiny tied to diversity, equity and inclusion debates. Professor Jason Arday acknowledged errors but said he is “not a liar,” describing the attention as racially motivated. The dispute began after Nathan Cofnas, a self-described “race realist” who was sacked from his Cambridge role in 2024, alleged plagiarism and questioned Arday’s stated achievements. Cofnas said he used plagiarism-detection software that he claimed found passages lifted with minimal editing. Arday, who became the youngest black professor in Cambridge in 2023, argued earlier mistakes in his work were partly connected to his autism and neurodivergent learning profile. The fallout reflects how faculty scholarship, peer scrutiny, and public narratives around identity and hiring can converge into a high-stakes governance and reputational issue for institutions.