Oxford academics sign open letter opposing Nathan Cofnas’ suspension

Over 17 academics affiliated with the University of Oxford have signed an open letter opposing the suspension of Nathan Cofnas for “whistleblowing”. 

Cofnas, a postdoctoral researcher at Ghent University, Belgium, and self-described “race realist”, was responsible for publicising allegations that the late Cambridge professor Jason Arday had plagiarised his doctoral thesis. The accusations began weeks of intense media scrutiny into Arday, resulting in the professor’s resignation. Cofnas’ suspension was announced days after Arday was found dead in his London home on 14th August. 

An open letter opposing Cofnas’ suspension has since been signed by 17 Oxford academics. Among others, the Oxford signatories include Regius Professor Emeritus and Member of the House of Lords Nigel Biggar, Professor Emeritus Michael Sharpe, and renowned evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins. 

The letter, addressed to the rector of Ghent University, urges the university to “protect Dr Cofnas from being punished for exercising his academic freedom”. It claims that the university’s disciplinary proceedings against Cofnas “appear to constitute retaliation, at least in part, for publicising academic misconduct that occurred in British universities”. 

During the suspension, Ghent University officials will conduct a “preliminary investigation” into his behaviour. The investigation includes whether his work on “race realism” and the “hereditarian revolution” is “fundamentally inconsistent with the contractual scope of [his] employment”. It also aims to determine whether he discriminated against Arday and created a hostile environment for students and staff. 

Professor Shivaji Sondhi, Oxford’s Wykeham Professor of Physics, told Cherwell that he signed the letter in response to a “detailed analysis” conducted by the Committee of Academic Freedom (CAF). CAF’s analysis claims that “a substantial part of the reasoning supporting Cofnas’s suspension rests not on his own conduct, but on the reaction of third parties to his appointment and public activity”. The CAF’s letter acknowledges that academic freedom does not remove him from legitimate disciplinary scrutiny. 

Cofnas’ views have previously caused controversy for students. In 2024, Cofnas was fired from Emmanuel College, Cambridge, after student reaction to a blog post. The post included the claim that, in a meritocracy, “Blacks would disappear from almost all high-profile positions outside of sports and entertainment”. He also faced student backlash upon his arrival at Ghent University this year, with 2,000 students signing a petition opposing his appointment.

Since the “preliminary investigation” after Arday’s death, Ghent University has issued Cofnas a three month teaching ban but permitted him to continue his research position remotely.