Today, it usually doesn't take long for a problem to be framed as a human rights issue. In fact, international human rights law is gaining increasing attention and must rapidly evolve to keep pace with a rapidly changing social world. This very brief introduction, now in its second edition, brings the topic of human rights up to date and addresses the current controversies surrounding the movement. Andrew Clapham discusses torture and arbitrary detention in the context of the fight against terrorism and also considers new challenges for human rights regarding privacy, equality, and the right to health. He examines the philosophical justification for rights, the historical origins of human rights, and how they are shaped within the legal system, explaining what our human rights actually are, what they could be, and where the human rights movement is headed.