WHILE THE CONCEPT OF RIGHTS HAS A LONG HISTORY IN LEGAL AND cultural thought, it has increasingly become a focus of contemporary global processes and movements. In East Africa (Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda), community organizations, religious institutions, and individuals regularly debate the tensions of justice and injustice occurring in society. There are frequent workshops, conferences, public speeches, and parliamentary sessions about the scope of rights in contemporary societies. Radio shows, musical events, and newspaper articles consistently feature explanations of and clarifications about rights-based issues. Rarely does a week pass without a public event organized by a nonprofit organization to educate