December 4, 2008 — Michael Joseph Smith, a University of Virginia professor who has written extensively on the ethical dilemmas raised by contemporary international politics, will speak Monday on the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

His talk, presented by U.Va.'s Miller Center of Public Affairs, will be at 11 a.m. at the center, 2201 Old Ivy Road.

The declaration, which was adopted by the United Nations in the wake of World War II, stands as the first global expression of the basic rights of every individual. Among its tenets, it advocates "life, liberty and security of person"; denounces torture, slavery and exile, and supports judiciary processes governed by law.

Smith is the Thomas C. Sorenson Professor of Political and Social Thought and associate professor of politics at U.Va. He came to U.Va. in 1986, where he currently directs the interdisciplinary undergraduate program in Political and Social Thought.

He teaches courses on human rights, political thought and ethics and international relations. Smith won the All-University Teaching Award in 2002.

For information, call 434-924-0921. The forum will be webcast live and archived at the Miller Center site.