Do "human rights"--as embodied in constitutions, national laws, and international agreements--foster improvements in the lives of the poor or otherwise marginalized populations? When, where, how, and under what conditions? Closing the Rights Gap: From Human Rights to Social Transformation systematically compares a range of case studies from around the world in order to clarify the conditions under which--and institutions through which--economic, social, and cultural rights are progressively realized in practice. It concludes with testable hypotheses regarding how significant...