An Edinburgh bookshop has cancelled an event featuring scandal-hit professor Jason Arday.
Professor Arday was set to appear at Topping and Co on Blenheim Place next month, but the shop has now told customers the event has been cancelled.
The former Glasgow and Cambridge academic has faced criticism over allegations of plagiarism and inflating his credentials.
Professor Arday's autobiography, Great and Unfortunate Things, tells the story of his rise to become the youngest Black professor in the history of Oxbridge.
An email informing customers of the cancellation reads: “I am writing to let you know that our event with Jason Arday on the 18th of September will no longer be going ahead. I apologise for any disappointment this may cause.”
Academic Jason Arday has come under fire in recent weeks. (Image: Cambridge University)
Patrons have been offered the opportunity to transfer their booking to another event, receive credit for future purchases, or be given a full refund.
According to a now-deleted listing for the event, Professor Arday did not speak his first word until 11 and learned to read and write at 18.
However, The Atlantic magazine has revealed that there are a number of differences between the initial book proposal and the published work.
For example, the proposal states that Professor Arday is said to have suffered multiple brain tumours, while the proposal says he survived testicular cancer. The proposal also states that Professor Arday spent several months in a coma as a teenager after being hit by a car, and was forced to spend a year re-learning how to walk and talk.
These details are not mentioned in the published copy.
On Thursday, Professor Arday announced his resignation from Cambridge University, writing: “While criticism is an inevitable part of academic life, what I have experienced has gone far beyond scholarly disagreement. The relentless accusations, speculation and public commentary have taken a profound toll on me and on those I love.”
His resignation came after Cambridge announced it had launched an investigation “following new information about Professor Arday’s academic qualifications and honorary appointments”.
Glasgow University is also carrying out an investigation into the circumstances of his appointment.
A spokesperson said: “Jason Arday was employed as Professor of Sociology of Education at the University of Glasgow, from January 2022 to March 2023. He left the University to take up his role as Professorial Chair at the University of Cambridge.
