Renowned lawyer, jurist, and political commentator Alan Dershowitz reflects on the nature of human rights in this 92nd Street Y seminar. Dershowitz knows a thing or two about rights, having worked on precedent-setting cases regarding genocide, hate crimes, censorship, and defamation. Here, however, Dershowitz looks beyond mere law books, and attempts to situate human rights in a context that is more fundamental. Dershowitz argues that rights are a product of humanity’s ability to recognize incredible injustice - as in the case of the Holocaust or American slavery - and learn from its experiences and mistakes. Reflecting on the status of civil liberties in post 9/11 America, the legal expert is dour and forthright, warning listeners that "the first casualty of fear is often rights".