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.