Hong Kong 2019: Anatomy of a social mobilisation through the lenses of identity and values

Our contribution analyses the Anti-Extradition Bill protests in Hong Kong, which constitute the largest mobilisation of people in the Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China so far since the handover in 1997. We examine the dimensions and stakeholders of this protest, arguing that its roots reside in the shift of values and identity of the next generation of Hong Kong people. In our analysis, we use first-hand experiences, informal interviews, and secondary materials to illustrate the underlying triggers of this mobilisation, which come from a combination of political, economic, and social factors. We situate this analysis in the context of China’s increasing global reach through foreign policy and outward investments, for which Hong Kong constitutes a key node.

Angela Tritto | Institute of Emerging Market Studies The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology | tritto@ust.hk

Alkan Abdulkadir | Independent scholar | a.alkan@my.cityu.edu.hk