An Introduction to Rights (Cambridge Introductions to ... (ISBN 0521008700)

Book Description:
This is the only accessible and readable introduction to the history, logic, moral implications, and political tendencies of the idea of rights. It is organized chronologically, and discusses important events, such as the French Revolution. As an undergraduate text it is well-suited to introductions to political philosophy, moral philosophy, and ethics. It could also be used in courses on political theory in departments of political science and government, and in courses on legal theory in law schools.

Reasoning to the end of the road:
The book's strength lies in its intellectual rigor. William Edmundson starts at some specific notion of rights and follows its reasoning to the end: either the reader sees the final consequences or Edmundson sees the arrival of a new question. Or he begins with the contrast between two apparently similar ideas, and then follows this contrast as far as it will go. The result is a fertile field for classroom discussions. Edmundson frequently offers an abstract line of reasoning without supporting examples. In places almost every sentence could open a lengthy exchange. The result is a book where ideas travel fast and the reading is often dense. One hopes that the professors dish out the parts of the book in bite-size pieces.