Testimonies
Jason stopped me after class to tell me I should become an academic. At that time, I was rejected from a PhD application, I wasn't sure if I should keep trying
He told me "it's their loss" and was willing to supervise me himself just to ensure I don't give up.
I'm doing my PhD elsewhere now. I always assumed I'd run into him at a conference one day and get to tell him. I'm so sad he isn't here to witness my growth, my journey is a trajectory he set off, I hope I'd have made him proud.
Leila Lai
Jason's MPhil student, 2025
I met Jason in my first year as a grad student at Cambridge, when he visited the Faculty before becoming Professor. At the time I felt exhausted as one of the few black students at the Faculty and felt pretty isolated. When I saw him in the Faculty his smile was like a warm light in a cold winter. We had a chat about Blackness and Cambridge and I remember him telling me how important it is for us as minority academics to stick together. It was a short interaction but one that was significant - so reassuring to see a face like mine, especially one that was so kind and confident in this space. He really gave me hope that I could make it here too.
Thank you Jason.
Anon
PhD Student
I first met Jason when he joined the faculty. As a Professor of Sociology, his work directly intersected with my own research in sociology and higher education. Over several conversations, we spoke about the complexities of institutional change, what makes it difficult, and what truly makes it work. He always showed genuine appreciation for my involvement with the Faculty of Education Research Student Association (FERSA), believing deeply in the role student leadership plays in creating sustainable change. In a large academic institution, he made me feel seen.
During my term as FERSA President from 2023 to 2024, Jason was selected as the keynote speaker for our annual conference. Watching him speak to our community was inspiring, but what stayed with me most was what he shared afterward. He told me that he saw my potential in the field because I truly cared. As a person of color navigating the field of sociology, seeing his leadership and hearing his belief in me gave me the confidence to believe that I have a chance in academia, regardless of the social constraints.
Jason once shared two insights that I will carry with me forever. He said that sociology is a discipline enabled by love and community. He also spoke about his commitment to teaching, telling me that he strived to give his absolute best to other people’s children in the classroom, hoping that others would do the same for his own children one day .
I am heartbroken to learn of his passing so soon after my graduation. I never had the opportunity to reach out as an alumna to share where my journey has led, but I will forever remember Jason as a remarkable scholar, a devoted teacher, and a compassionate mentor.
Thank you, Jason, for your unwavering kindness, your belief in us, and your tireless efforts to create real change. You will be deeply missed.
Rossa Darni
PhD Candidate
I was unsure about how to approach my dissertation which was on a challenging topic (grief education). Specifically, I couldn’t decide whether it was professional to include a personal narrative to preface the introduction. I stayed behind after class and asked Jason his thoughts. He reassured me that all research comes from a perspective and we write with it whether we address it or not. I’m fairly certain his advice to include it was what ultimately secured me a distinction for my dissertation (graded by two other lecturers), because this element was explicitly commented on positively. I’m grateful to Jason for being such an attentive and passionate lecturer. Students don’t always feel seen at Cambridge and many other lecturers had a distaste for teaching us, but he was talented teacher and I felt uniquely seen and understood by him.
Laura Johnson
MPhil student,2025
Jason memorised each of our names in the first lecture. He got to know us all personally and would make everyone feel welcome, caring about our opinions but also constantly extending his support. I remember him stopping me in the street, asking if I ever needed anything to reach out. The fact that I had him for only about 3 lectures and he stuck with me as the kindest person from those lectures alone- this really shows the type of person he was. Anyone you asked in the faculty had nothing but kind things to say about him .
The misrepresentation of him is what hurt everyone the most, ask a single person that knew him and you would know. He deserved the kindness he showed us and more and he left a lasting impression that most lecturers hadn’t.
Jason will be greatly missed
Katya
I was in his lecture in undergrad
His speech was the most memorable and thought-provoking. I kept thinking about it long after the conference ended and I’ve heared Jason to be the kindest mentor to so many young academics.
Emma
Heard his speech at the BSA conference this year
Beyond being a talented, thought-provoking teacher, Jason made students feel seen and heard. His class was unlike anything I had experienced before. In the space of 2 hours, he created, with us, a space of trust, wonder, reflection and laughter. His kindness radiated from him, and for the first time in a class I felt that we were truly encouraged to speak because a teacher was truly interested. He made me see that there was a way to make academia human, as something that comes from within. He made research seem an exciting, deeply human endeavour.
Jason will be remembered a warm, kind and inspiring Professor who students would wait around after class to speak to.
Thank you Jason, you will deeply be missed and remembered.
Anonymous
MPhil student 2025
Of the many optional sessions the Faculty offered to MPhil students, Jason’s were among the most distinctive and deeply influential to me. What stood out was the way he genuinely listened to students and took an interest in each person’s individual experience. This was not simply something reflected in his research or work, but something he practised through his everyday interactions with others.
Academia and higher education institutions can feel intimidating at times, especially when you are just starting out and navigating them as an international student. Feelings of exclusion or judgement are not always explicit, but they are there. We might call them microaggressions or something else, but what matters to me is that Jason avoided them at every level. In fact, he embodied the opposite: he made people feel heard, respected, and that they belonged. For that, I am deeply grateful.
I will always remember his encouraging words and the kindness he showed me.
LZ
MPhil student
Truly the kindest, most genuine teacher I've ever had. His commitment to a love-ethic in class and academia was so evident. He really "walked the walk" of compassion and thoughtful teacher. I always left class wishing it was hours longer and feeling so seen and capable. It was an absolute privilege to be taught by Jason. I will always remember him as the hilarious, gentle, profound teacher with excellent taste in music that he always was.
Anonymous
MPhil student
I am deeply saddened by the loss of Professor Arday. I feel very fortunate to have experienced his kindness and brilliance firsthand. My thoughts are with his family, friends, colleagues, and students.
Anonymous
PhD student
Jason was not only a brilliant mind but one of the kindest souls in faculty. He is an eloquent speaker and a great thinker. My condolences go to his family and loved ones. He will always be remembered.
Anonymous
PhD Student