Black Dog Publishing: London headquarters of the irresponsible UK publisher / Washington State University: What is Plagiarism? / Safe Libraries: THIS is it! / Are You Kidding?: How did you get your degree?

Margarita Mathiopoulos committed plagiarism. Now she has been stripped of her PhD. It’s a painful – and belated – loss. Nearly thirty years late, in fact – because Mathiopoulos submitted the offending work back in 1986, and received her doctorate the same year.

What can we learn from this latest case of plagiarism? We learn that there is no statute of limitations on plagiarism. This may seem incredible to some. After all, in Germany and a large number of other countries there are many offenses subject to the statute of limitations. Legally, in fact, they apply to virtually all crimes – except murder.

Here is a German version of this contribution

And that’s precisely the point. No statute of limitations on murder! Plagiarism kills. It kills the intellectual work that other people have produced. It is a death sentence on the spoken and written word. It is unacceptable, and it should always be pursued.

And indeed, the pursuit of plagiarism doesn’t end. It continues perpetually. In Mathiopoulos’ case, after more than 25 years. In other cases it can be even longer. And that should serve as a warning to all those who are still trying to cover up their plagiarism.

The lesson here is clear. Every person who commits plagiarism must clearly and unambiguously confess and accept full responsibility. This is the only way for a plagiarizing author or her publisher to avoid a belated and therefore all the more painful and humiliating punishment. Being caught is much worse than coming clean.

Please read also these contributions:

The past caught up with Hungary’s president Pál Schmitt

President of Humboldt University denounces plagiarist Alice Hutchison

_________________________________

You are most welcome to follow and comment on Facebook & Twitter

Fall Mathiopoulos (sowie Duncan McCorquodale & Alice Hutchison): Plagiat verjährt nie!

Plagiat: die Vergangenheit hat Präsident Pál Schmitt eingeholt / Wird Verleger Duncan McCorquodale endlich die Konsequenz ziehen?

POLITICO and the shameful politics of Black Dog Publishing: Duncan McCorquodale gets a lesson in honesty & responsible behavior / It’s time to accept liability for the literary theft committed by Alice Hutchison

President of Humboldt University denounces plagiarist Alice Hutchison / Her book on filmmaker Kenneth Anger contains numerous plagiarized passages from at least four authors / Dishonest: Publisher Duncan McCorquodale is not prepared to accept liability

Arianna Huffington teaches Alice Hutchison: when you plagiarize, take responsibility and settle

Schlagwörter: alice hutchison, duncan McCorquodale, humiliating punishment, margarita mathiopoulos, no statute of limitations, plagiarism kills, pursuit of plagiarism, stripped of Phd

Anmelden