Charles Griswold has written the first comprehensive philosophical study of Smith's moral and political thought. Griswold sets Smith's work in the context of the continuing debate about the nature and survival of the Enlightenment, and also relates it to current discussions in moral philosophy." "This is a major historical and philosophical reassessment of a key figure in the Enlightenment that will be of particular interest to philosophers and political and legal theorists, as well as historians of ideas, economics, and political economy.
Before coming to Boston University in 1991, Charles Griswold taught at Howard University. He has held visiting appointments at the Université de Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (2004) and Yale University (1996, as Olmsted Visiting Professor). His teaching and research address various themes, figures, and historical periods.