Human rights and d¿nte inextricably intertwined during Carter''s years. By promoting human rights in the USSR, Carter sought to build a domestic consensus for d¿nte; through bipolar dialogue, he tried to advance human rights in the USSR. But, human rights contributed to the erosion of d¿nte without achieving a lasting domestic consensus. Based on recently declassified archival documents, <i>A precarious equilibrium</i> offers a fresh interpretation of President Jimmy Carter''s human rights policy and its contradictory impact on US-Soviet affairs.