Vermont Law School and Dartmouth College to Host Michael Posner, Former Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor

On the heels of an April 2 Op-Ed in Forbes calling on Mark Zuckerberg to reform Facebook, Mr. Posner will give a public talk at Dartmouth College on Wednesday evening entitled, “Online Political Disinformation: The Global Threat and What the Tech Giants Need to Do.” The event is co-sponsored by Dartmouth’s John Sloan Dickey Center for International Understanding and Vermont Law School. Mr. Posner previously served at the U.S. Department of State with Dickey Center Director, and former Ambassador-at-Large and Coordinator for Counterterrorism, Daniel Benjamin.

The event is free and open to the public and will be held Wednesday, April 10 at 4:30pm in 041 Haldeman Center at Dartmouth College.

Posner will also visit Vermont Law School where he will engage with VLS faculty and students. Posner will discuss hot topics in international law and relations including current developments surrounding U.S. asylum and refugee policy, business and human rights, national security, and values and ethics in U.S. foreign policy.

VLS students will join Posner for a roundtable discussion Friday, April 12 at 3:30pm in Oakes Hall 208 at Vermont Law School.

VLS Adjunct Professor of International Human Rights Law, Molly Gray stated, “Mr. Posner’s interest in traveling to the Upper Valley is a testament to the longstanding tradition of the Dickey Center, Vermont Law School, and the State of Vermont in providing unique leadership and training in human rights and international engagement. Moreover, with numerous unprecedented shifts in U.S. foreign policy, Mr. Posner’s visit could not be more timely.”

Posner is the Jerome Kohlberg Professor of Ethics and Finance and a Professor of Business and Society at NYU’s Stern School of Business, where he launched the first-ever center on business and human rights at a business school. Prior to joining NYU Stern, Posner served from 2009 to 2013 in the Obama Administration as Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor at the State Department. From 1978 to 2009, he led Human Rights First, a New York-based human rights advocacy organization. Michael Posner is the Chair of the WEF’s Global Agenda Council on Human Rights.

Mr. Posner will be available for media interviews, in person or by phone, as well as photo opportunities. Mr. Posner will be at Dartmouth College on Wednesday afternoon and Thursday and at Vermont Law School on Friday.