Michael Posner

New York

Senior Contributor at Forbes

Director, @NYUSternBHR & Jerome Kohlberg Prof of Ethics & Finance & former U.S. Asst. Sec. of State for Democracy, #HumanRights & Labor. Views are my own.

Articles

Conscience incorporated: pursuing profits while protecting human rights

1 month ago | lse.ac.uk | Michael Posner

LSE Player is home to the latest films and podcasts from the London School of Economics and Political Science. Here you can watch videos on cutting edge research, find the award-winning LSE IQ podcast, and listen to more than 5,000 public event recordings featuring some of the world’s leading thinkers.
As Trump Slashes Democracy Budget, Poland’s Resistance Teaches Us a Lesson

1 month ago | usnews.com | Michael Posner

In 1980, workers at the Gdansk shipyards in Poland formed a trade union called Solidarity. Within a year, 10 million Polish men and women had joined – more than a third of Poland’s adult population, and Solidarity became much more than a traditional trade union. Under its charismatic leader Lech Wałęsa, it was a social and political movement that mobilized ordinary citizens to challenge an authoritarian communist state that for decades had been under the thumb of the Soviet Union.
Trump Is Destroying a Core American Value. The World Will Notice.

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Michael Posner

In the late 1980s, Joseph Nye, the Harvard political scientist who died this month, developed the concept of "soft power." His central premise, that the United States enhances its global influence by promoting values like human rights and democracy, has guided U.S. foreign policy for decades across both Republican and Democratic administrations. Donald Trump has made clear that he fundamentally rejects this vision.
Why The State Department Needs To Maintain The Scope Of Its Human Rights Reports

2 months ago | forbes.com | Michael Posner

In March 1974, the U.S. House of Representatives Committee of Foreign Affairs published a report entitled, “Human Rights in the World Community: A Call for U.S. Leadership.” Based on 15 hearings in which more than 40 witnesses testified, the report made the case for linking U.S. aid and trade policies to the human rights performance of countries that are beneficiaries of U.S. support.
Academic and Business Leaders Unite at HEC Paris to Address Global Inclusion Challenges

2 months ago | hec.edu | Michael Posner

Set against a backdrop of global uncertainty, the day-long event emphasized the importance of resilience in pursuing social and economic inclusion. Participants engaged in high-level debates and collaborative brainstorming sessions, exploring pathways to systemic change through thoughtful analysis and cross-sector cooperation.
The Just Security Podcast: Regulating Social Media — Is it Lawful, Feasible, and Desirable? (NYU Law Forum)

Mar 26, 2025 | justsecurity.org | Tess Bridgeman |Ryan Goodman |Michael Posner |Daphne Keller |Maya Nir

2025 will be a pivotal year for technology regulation in the United States and around the world. The European Union has begun regulating social media platforms with its Digital Services Act. In the United States, regulatory proposals at the federal level will likely include renewed efforts to repeal or reform Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.
Why the Law Against Business Bribes Is Good for Business - Tribune Content Agency

Mar 17, 2025 | tribunecontentagency.com | Michael Posner

Michael H. Posner is the Jerome Kohlberg Professor of Ethics and Finance at New York University’s Stern School of Business. He is also the founding director of the school’s Center for Business and Human Rights, the first-ever human rights center at a business school. In February, the Trump administration announced that it was suspending enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), pending a six-month review. It is fair to speculate that President Trump hopes to kill the FCPA altogether.
Why the Law Against Business Bribes Is Good for Business

Mar 17, 2025 | sloanreview.mit.edu | Michael Posner

Why the Law Against Business Bribes Is Good for Business The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act has served as a global standard against corruption for almost half a century. Suspending its enforcement harms both business and the rule of law.
NYU Law Forum-Regulating Social Media: Is it Lawful, Feasible, and Desirable?

Mar 12, 2025 | law.nyu.edu | Michael Posner

RSVP HEREThis will be a pivotal year for technology regulation in the United States and around the world. The European Union is already regulating social media platforms based on perceived harms they cause. In the US, regulatory proposals at the federal level will likely include renewed efforts to repeal or reform Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. Meanwhile, states such as Florida and Texas have tried to restrict content moderation by major platforms.
Corporate Leaders Can Hold Elon Musk Accountable | Opinion

Feb 12, 2025 | newsweek.com | Michael Posner

CLOSE X opinion Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the interpretation of facts and data. Share✓ Link copied to clipboard! Since 2025 began, Elon Musk has registered his enthusiastic support for Alternative for Germany (AfD), a far-right political party notorious for its use of Nazi-era slogans and imagery.