Forum - Cultural emergence, legal polycentricity and same-sex couples' right to marry

This short article focuses on the input of emergent values and norms in a dominant legal system. The pure request and need of emergent legal values for recognition and formal acceptance underline the position of the dominant culture. Moreover, it allows the dominant culture to change and adapt emergent values and norms in order to enforce its position. Gender legal issues at large, and same-sex couples' request for the right to marry in particular are examples of this phenomenon. Legal polycentricity on the other hand stresses the equalisation of different values. However, the question raises to what degree this theoretical legal model effectively ameliorates the lives of individuals.