INVITATION

The Department of Law at the University of Cyprus kindly invites you to a research seminar on

‘Recent developments on registered partnerships in Europe’

Wednesday, 6 November 2024 at 18:00-19:15

by Dr. Nausica Palazzo

Chair: Assistant Professor Dr. Alina Tryfonidou

Abstract

There is a gradual turn away from marriage in Europe. Empirical data from countries such as Belgium,

France, and the Netherlands illustrate how an increasing number of opposite-sex and same-sex couples

are entering into registered partnerships instead. Previous research has shown that these couples tend to

be less ‘traditional’ than the traditional marital family. The paper investigates the most recent empirical

developments with regard to registered partnerships in France, Belgium, the Netherlands and England and

Wales. Then the paper offers a contextualization and interpretation of the data based on existing

commentary, especially qualitative research from these countries that seeks to explain the appeal of

registration laws as well as an analysis of the main differences between these legal regimes and marriage.

The overall aim of the study is to understand whether a European trend in relation towards registered

partnerships can be identified, the reasons why couples choose RPs over marriage, and the foreseeable

consequences that similar developments may have for the institution of marriage.

Speaker Bio

Nausica Palazzo is an Assistant Professor in Constitutional Law at NOVA School of Law, Lisbon, who

works in the area of family law, and constitutional law. In 2024, she held the role of Visiting Professor at

Western Law, London, Ontario, and at Reichman University (IDC Herzliya). She earned a cum laude

Ph.D. from the University of Trento and an LL.M. from the University of Michigan as a Fulbright and

Michigan Grotius Fellow. She is especially interested in queer approaches to family law, comparative

constitutional law, and the relationship between gender and religious norms, and has published articles in

these areas in top specialized journals such as the Columbia Journal of Gender and Law, Michigan Journal

of Gender and The Review of Faith & International Affairs. Her book Legal Recognition of Non-Conjugal

Families came out in 2021 with Hart Publishing and a co-edited collection on queer and religious alliances

in family law was published in the Law and Society Series of Anthem Press in 2022.

Practical Details

Language: The seminar will be conducted in English

Registration: Please register for the Zoom meeting following this link

https://ucy.zoom.us/meeting/register/u5Ekf--rqzguEtwOFc_ihdVzjXW2uKyA1JfU#/registration