Dr. Carol Swain Demands Answers From Harvard Regarding Gay’s Alleged Plagiarism
“How many instances of duplicative language in a scholarly work would constitute plagiarism? Would five instances of duplicative language constitute plagiarism?”
Dr. Carol Swain claims former Harvard President Claudine Gay plagiarized her famous book, Black Faces, Black Interests: The Representation of African Americans in Congress.
The Harvard Corporation admitted Gay used “duplicative language” in many of her publications, including her dissertation, which used Swain’s book.
The governing board stood behind Gay. She eventually resigned after starting the new year with six new plagiarism allegations.
Swain’s attorney sent a letter to the governing board, demanding it define “duplicative language” and explain how it differs from verbatim copying.
“Black Faces, Black Interests: The Representation of African Americans in Congress is the product of Dr. Swain’s original and independent research,” wrote the attorneys. “Accordingly, Dr. Swain is entitled to certain rights and remedies arising from the prohibited use of its content. Through its acts, omissions, and public statements surrounding the use of Dr. Swain’s work, the Harvard Corporation is now invested in this matter and its subsequent outcome.”
Man, the attorneys bring the heat:
- Does the identical replication of another author’s language require the use of quotation marks?
- Under what circumstances would the retroactive insertion “of citations and quotation marks that were omitted from the original publications” be permissible in an academic setting?
- Does Dr. Gay’s Taking Charge: Black Electoral Success and the Redefinition of American Politics satisfy Harvard University’s Guidelines for The PhD Dissertation, effective July 1, 1997?
- How many instances of duplicative language in a scholarly work would constitute plagiarism? Would five instances of duplicative language constitute plagiarism? Would 50?
- Would the discovery of plagiarism in a dissertation after a Harvard degree has been awarded impact the status or validity of the degree conferred?
It’s no wonder everyone has ignored Dr. Carol Swain.
Swain is a black conservative. Unlike Gay, she came from poverty to become a well-respected voice in political science and legal scholars.
Swain has not remained silent since the allegations came to light:
During a December 19 appearance on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy, Swain called for Gay’s resignation, and told told Leahy that she was forcing Harvard to “stand behind something that is inexcusable.”
Swain also alluded to Harvard’s prior legal threat to The New York Post when the newspaper reported about Gay’s alleged plagiarism, declaring, “I don’t care about their lawyers. I care about justice and fairness, and I’m not fighting for myself. I’m fighting for American education.”
DONATE
Donations tax deductible
to the full extent allowed by law.
Comments
Harvard Corp going into avoidance pattern refusing to answer the door for process server?
lol
Delay, Erase, Ignore
“Harvard’s not here, man.”
Turn off all the lights, and only use the back door.
I want this lawyer to represent me the next time any of my writing is stolen.
Welcome, my beings to the scholarly blame game rings.
We’re inside and unqualified…
Take a ride, take a ride
well played scooter!!
Hey Carol, Harvard’s holding a big pot with $50B inside. Go grab some of that! And while we are at it, the NYP should go after that quack law firm for threatening and intimidating. I’m gonna get my popcorn ready for the show.
Yup, going the DEI route has consequences.
“Sandmaning” is the term, or should become it,
Like “fisking”. That it bugs the hell out of the right people is just a bonus.
Unclear. Sandmanning should be the term for… what?
Well if it’s unclear, it fails. Notion is sue them back, hard.
Wasn’t the kid in DC named “Sandman.” My bad — two “n”s. “Sandmann.”
Oh, Harvard wouldn’t want to answer to an actual scholar. It might expose what a fraud they’ve been.
Harvard graduates should sue for Harvard devaluing the value of their degrees.
Before the lawsuit you have to make an honest effort to resolve the issue. However if Harvard continues to ignore the letter and situation, I suspect the lawsuit will fly.
It’s not the move of a competent scholar. Only the trappings of scholarship are rivalrous.
Glenn Loury cites E Franklin Frazier “Black Bourgeoisies” about a superficial black society imitating the elite markers of the elite.
https://youtu.be/uhiXN-dWR_o?t=350
It’s ironic you would mention Glenn Loury in this thread. He should be helping Claudine right now, telling her how Harvard helps faculty members who misbehave and need to find a new job.
The letter shows a January 8, 2024 deadline.
However, the letter does not explain what will happen if there is no timely answer.
I am curious to find out what Dr. Swain’s goal is.
Screw a worthless letter to the Harvard Board… where is her law suit?
I realize Dr Swian could say it much better than a student but at least give the women credit.
“How many instances of duplicative language in a scholarly work would constitute plagiarism?
One. If the Harvard administration holds the student body to that standard then it only makes sense that the administration holds the faculty to that same standard. And yes, I understand that mistakes do happen but the shear number of instances of “duplicative language” in Gay’s work makes the idea that it was all a mistake implausible to say the least.
Would five instances of duplicative language constitute plagiarism?”
Once might be a mistake. Twice and I suspect the author is being sloppy in writing & editing. When you rack up five or more instances of “duplicative language” in multiple papers you are committing plagiarism. No doubt about it.
How would Harvard feel if I plagiarized a Harvard diploma at my next job interview or high school reunion?
Who would want to have a fake Harvard diploma now? Their brand is is rapidly deteriorating.
Many. Although those here and others who pay close attention to politics and the news care I wager or 75% have no idea of this anymore than Brandon having an open border or banning gas stoves and ordering the FCC to seize control of the internet
You’re better off with a diploma from any State university or even a Junior College at this point–a degree from Harvard appears to be nearly worthless.
Why plagiarize when you can just duplicate? It’s all good!
Oh damn, she’s going for the kill shot… get the stupid ‘doctorate’ revoked.
And speaking of kill shots… I read elsewhere that the Houston restaurant patron who shot and killed the robber last year was not indicted by the grand jury. I hope LI has a write-up on that topic… I remember there was a lively comment section around the original story.
That is good news, is the shooter broke now? That would be a tragedy.
Good for Dr. Carol Swain. I hope she is successful.
Why is Dr. Swain NOT seeking legal redress directly against the person that stole her work and claimed it as her own?
Yet.
Follow the money. Harvard, with their $50B endowment, have essentially endorsed her IP theft by not punishing her, and through their mealy-mouthed backing of her.
Right. She is going after the deep pocket.
It all depends on what game we’re playing.
“Scholarship” “stealing” from others slows production and elevates the wrong people if the goal is new knowledge. If the game is manufacturing ersatz authority, to launder notions already decided, well, steal away.
An expert tells you the observed story of what’s happening and going to happen; a scholar tells you the preferred story of what people enjoy imagining is happening, and going to happen.
I seem to remember a time when you went to your Nana, not Harvard to hear stories that would make you feel better.
Harvard’s website discusses plagiarism:
https://usingsources.fas.harvard.edu/sites/projects.iq.harvard.edu/files/sources/files/avoiding_plagiarism.pdf
Here is the penalty for plagiarism:
Students who, for whatever reason, submit work either not their own or without clear attribution to its sources will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including requirement to withdraw from the College. Students who have been found responsible for any violation of these standards will not be permitted to submit course evaluation of the course in which the infraction occurred.
Swain is the real deal unlike Gay, Brown-Jackson, Hannah-Jones and others of their affirmative action DEI ilk
The institution that gave Gay her doctorate needs to take it back.
Discrimination
Enabling
Incompetence
And that’s all I have to say about that.
There would be less Marxists running around the republic if we brought back guillotines, 3d printed them by the hundred in Times square and made some examples
My wondering is why Dr. Swain doesn’t sue Claudine Gay for theft of intellectual property and damages as Ms. Gay benefitted from her work.
Being awarded a PhD, the tenure positions at two prestigious universities, the presidency at Harvard, all based on plagiarized material; of which Dr. Miller was one of the main sources. Or maybe this request to Harvard is laying the groundwork for that.
Bty, I purposely choose not to refer to Gay as a Doctor as the plagiarism calls that honorific into serious question.