Supersymmetry and R-parity: an overview

This article provides a brief overview of some of the theoretical aspects of R-parity violation (RPV) in the minimal supersymmetric standard model and its extensions. Both spontaneous and explicit RPV models are discussed and some consequences are outlined. In particular, it is emphasized that the simplest supersymmetric theories based on local B-L predict that R-parity must be a broken symmetry, a fact which makes a compelling case for taking R-parity breaking seriously in discussions of supersymmetry phenomenology.