Allegations of plagiarism in doctoral thesis by 'White Fragility' author.

A report released Monday claims that Robin DiAngelo, the author of "White Fragility," may have plagiarized several scholars, including minority writers, in her 2004 Ph.D. thesis.

The Washington Free Beacon obtained a complaint filed against the University of Washington, which revealed that DiAngelo had plagiarized from other papers without proper citation in her dissertation.

Two Asian-American professors, Stacey Lee of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Thomas Nakayama of Northeastern University, provided input on the topic.

"According to National Association of Scholars president Peter Wood, it is never acceptable to use a secondary source without giving credit and even more unethical to present it as one's own words, which constitutes plagiarism."

Her dissertation, titled "Whiteness in Racial Dialogue: A Discourse Analysis," which served as the foundation for her doctorate in Multicultural Education, was subject to a significant challenge. Despite this, she has continued to use the title Dr. DiAngelo that she earned from the dissertation and has referred to herself as Affiliate Associate Professor of Education at the university.

The University of Washington and DiAngelo were contacted by Planet Chronicle Digital for comment.

The report highlighted that DiAngelo's website prioritized acknowledging the contributions of minorities and showcasing their accomplishments.

Her website advocates for promoting the work and services of BIPOC people, channeling work to BIPOC people, seeking out and choosing BIPOC-owned businesses and service providers, and co-leading paid work with BIPOC people when possible.

Remember to credit BIPOC individuals when using their ideas or phrases in your work.

In 2018, DiAngelo's book "White Fragility" was first published and gained renewed interest in the summer of 2020 following the death of George Floyd, making it a more mainstream concept.

The phrase "White fragility" originated from DiAngelo’s dissertation.

"DiAngelo wrote that white fragility is a state where even a small amount of racial stress becomes unbearable, resulting in a range of defensive actions such as displaying emotions like anger, fear, and guilt, and engaging in behaviors like arguing, remaining silent, and leaving the stressful situation."

In 2023, Harvard President Claudine Gay faced numerous plagiarism allegations, which were reported by the Free Beacon. As a result of the mounting pressure, she resigned in January.