Since 1945, the language of human rights has acquired great potency and resonance. Human rights law plays an ever-greater role in national legal systems, and states are now expected to respect an ever-growing range of basic rights. However, a growing backlash can now be detected against the apparently ever-expanding scope of human rights guarantees. Has the concept of human rights been stretched too far? Has it departed from its core mission? This lecture will address some of these questions, and make the case for an expansive conception of rights.