‘White Fragility’ author accused of plagiarizing Asian American professors
By Carl Samson
Robin DiAngelo, the best-selling author of 2018’s “White Fragility” and a prominent figure in anti-racism education, is now facing allegations of plagiarism in her 2004 doctoral dissertation from the University of Washington. The complaint, which was recently filed with the university, accuses her of lifting material from multiple scholars — including two Asian American professors — and passing them off as her own.
- The allegations: DiAngelo’s dissertation, titled “Whiteness in Racial Dialogue: A Discourse Analysis,” allegedly lifted material from Thomas Nakayama of Northeastern University and Stacey Lee of the University of Wisconsin-Madison without proper attribution. The complaint, which was obtained and first reported by the Washington Free Beacon, reveals 20 instances of alleged plagiarism. National Association of Scholars President Peter Wood, who likened one instance to “forgery,” told the Beacon, “It is never appropriate to use the secondary source without acknowledging it, and even worse to present it as one’s own words.” The allegations appear to extend beyond the two scholars.
- The big picture: The allegations against DiAngelo not only question the integrity of her academic work but also contribute to a broader concern within academia, where recent plagiarism scandals have led to high-profile resignations, such as that of former Harvard President Claudine Gay. DiAngelo’s status as a leading voice in anti-racism training, bolstered by her academic credentials, faces a significant threat if the allegations are substantiated. “We are committed to the integrity of research conducted at the University of Washington. All complaints are carefully reviewed,” University of Washington spokeswoman Dana Robinson Slote told the New York Post.
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