This book presents a historical perspective on patterns of human rights abuse in Cuba, El Salvador and Nicaragua and incorporates international relations in to the traditional theories of state repression found within the social sciences.

1. Introduction 2. The Idea of Rights: Definitions, Domains and Cornerstone Debates 3. Human Rights Abuse and the Nation-State: Perspectives From the Social Sciences 4. The Intersection of the State, Civil Society and the International System 5. Theoretical Frame and Methodology 6. Patterns of Human Rights and Violations in Cuba 7. Patterns of Human Rights Violations in El Salvador 8. Patterns of Human Rights Violations in Nicaragua 9. Conclusions