During the last few years, gay and lesbian rights have reached the European Union human rights agenda and different instruments to combat discrimination have been adopted, which have had major implications for the gay and lesbian communities all over Europe.

This volume focuses on less known and less studied aspects of these accomplishments. Its originality lies both in the multidisciplinary nature and the international approach of this project; researchers from different universities throughout Europe ( Brussels , Leiden , Stockholm , Athens , Ljubljana , Budapest , Bucharest , Paris and Krakow ) and from different disciplines (law, political science, sociology and journalism) have contributed to this volume.

Through case studies and theoretical reflection, the articles collected here aim at reinforcing the existing interest for the topic as well as offering an academic look at the subject, with a view to fostering scientific dialogue and contributing to the development of this field of research. The book is structured in three different parts, covering a broad spectrum of issues, among which: legal achievements on outlawing discrimination on sexual orientation within the European Union, the evolution of same-sex partnership and marriage, the accomplishments in the candidate countries.



By providing a comprehensive overview of the aforementioned topics, this book can be appreciated by different categories of readers, from those interested in human rights to those working in the specific field of non-discrimination or studying the evolution of norms.