Gay and lesbian studies in The Netherlands

Gay and Lesbian Studies have been rather successful on an institutional level at Dutch universities. The article discusses the social and scholarly backgrounds of this development, the work being done, and the social reception of gay and lesbian studies. The deployment of gay and lesbian studies was possible thanks to the democratic structure of Dutch universities, and to a general acceptance of the aims of gay and lesbian emancipation in Dutch society. The article delineates also the limitations of the Dutch situation, in terms of the "cordon sanitaire" or minority perspective in which gays and lesbians seem to become enclosed. Also, the future perspectives of gay and lesbian studies are discussed.