The Production of Contemporary Sociological Knowledge in Hong Kong

This paper explores the development of academic sociology in Hong Kong since the expansion of higher education and increased student enrolment in the nineties. Colleges gained university titles and sociology departments matured as a result. I attempt to trace the current state of sociology in teaching programs and research directions. I conclude with a discussion of future developments with specific reference to the repositioning of Hong Kong within sociology as the former British colony continue to negotiate, navigate and grapple its relationship with Mainland China both as a productive site for sociological research and a reference point to be different in method.     

Being Indian in post-colonial Hong Kong: Models of ethnicity,culture and language among Sindhis and Sikhs in Hong Kong

Using data from four focus groups, this paper examines the ways in which Hong Kong Sindhis and Sikhs talk about ethnic identities and their relationships to culture and language. It finds that in all the groups, a range of different ‘cultural models’ (Gee, 1999 Gee, James Paul. 1999. An Introduction to Discourse Analysis: Theory and Method, London: Routledge.  [Google Scholar]) of ethnicity, culture and language are drawn upon, with the same participants sometimes using several different models as they position themselves within the group discussions. However, the data also suggest that there may be a tendency for the two communities to foreground different models of ethnicity. Specifically, Sikh participants tend to draw more on an essentialist model of ethnicity than do the Sindhis, while the Sindhis seem to be more prepared to draw on more flexible models of the relationships between identity, culture and language.     

Elder Abuse in Hong Kong:

No abstract available for this article.     

内地在港青年对香港廉政体系适应现状

由于内地与香港在政治、文化等方面存在一些差异,导致内地人士在融入香港社会的过程中出现一些不适应性,对香港廉政体系的不适应就是其中一个重要表现。对927名内地在港青年问卷发现,大多数内地在港青年认识到内地与香港廉政体系存在差异,总体上比较适应香港廉政体系,对腐败行为违法情况的判断与香港市民存在差异。但也有内地在港青年不了解廉政公署的举报途径、对腐败行为的容忍度较高、对腐败行为的举报意愿不强烈等。内地在港青年尽快适应香港廉政体系非常重要,需香港政府、内地在港青年、内地政府三个主体形成推进合力。     

The economic role of immigrant wives in Hong Kong

The objectives of this study were to compare the employment pattern of immigrant wives with native-born wives in Hong Kong, to examine the independent influences of sociodemographic characteristics and the assimilation experience on employment behavior of immigrant wives, and to establish the extent to which immigrant wives' employment is affected by social and demographic factors and conditioned on the assimilation strategy adopted by their families. Data of the 1986 census were used, based on a 1% sample of currently married women 20-44 years old. 5478 women were identified by place of birth and length of residence in Hong Kong and 3214 native-born women were used as a comparison group. Of this 5478, 2018 women were earlier immigrants from mainland China who had lived in Hong Kong for more than 5 years and 246 were recent Chinese immigrants. Labor force participation of the native born was 51.87% and that of China born was 48.89%, however, early immigrants had a rate of participation of 46.84% and recent immigrants had 66.81%. The labor market incorporation of early immigrants showed that 10.28% were self-employed and 13.13% were outworkers, which was in contrast to the native-born, who were more represented in employee occupations. 79.12% of native-born were wage employees compared 69.58% of early immigrants. Immigrant wives were disadvantaged regarding education and vocational training; their wages were substantially lower than those of the native-born women. Immigrant families had an average of 2.2 children, compared to 1.7 for natives. Logit analysis showed that age had a negative relationship with labor force participation, while education had a positive effect, and recent immigrants had a significantly higher labor force participation. Multinominal logit analysis found that more educated and better skilled women were significantly more likely to engage in wage employment. Children in the family restricted women's participation in wage employment.     

Hong Kong: From Worker to Manager

Review article on: Made by Hong Kong. Edited by Suzanne Berger and Richard K. Lester The Hong Kong Advantage. By Michael T. enright, Edit E. Scott and David Dodwell     

Defining child abuse in Hong Kong

Definitions of child abuse are culturally driven. Hong Kong, with a predominantly Chinese population, has managed to eradicate much of the societal abuse that children suffer elsewhere in Asia. Professional and government attention has now shifted to child abuse and neglect within the family. The paper, based on interviews with key professionals. analysis of policy documents and practice records examines traditional Chinese parent-child relationships. the status of parental authority and corporal punishment and changes in contemporary Hong Kong family life. It goes on to outline the development of responses to child abuse in Hong Kong, some of the dilemmas that professionals face in defining abuse and areas for future research.     

Hong Kong and China in 1997

In 1997, Hong Kong changes from a British colony to a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China. While officially it has been agreed that the status change should not alter the economic or social conditions in the territory substantially, many people believe that residents' lives will be considerably affected. Hong Kong society has always been highly mobile and fluid in terms of migration, and it is only very recently that over half of the population have been born in the tenitory Many elderly people in Hong Kong were bom elsewhere and many Hong Kong families are fragmented, with members living in China, elsewhere in the Asia-Pacific region, North America, Australia, and Britain. The potential impact of 1997 on the lives and conditions of elderly residents is only now forming a focus of concern. This article considers what may happen in the closing years of this century and early next when the SAR emerges. There is already growing popular belief that, for financial and social reasons, some elderly people are going back to China for their retirement. However, evidence from a survey of 419 noninstitutionalized respondents found relatively few expressing a desire or willingness to retire to China. This article concludes with a discussion of why this may be so. A major reason may be that, with the increasing ease of visits between Hong Kong and China, Hong Kong elderly people might feel more comfortable with alternately living in China and Hong Kong instead of taking the bold decision of permanently living in China.     

The evolutionary dynamics of postcolonial Englishes: A Hong Kong case study

Schneider's ( 2007 ) ground‐breaking Dynamic Model is widely regarded as the most comprehensive and coherent theory to account for the evolution of postcolonial Englishes, but has yet to be validated by evidence from detailed historical research. This article seeks to bridge this gap by presenting an empirically‐grounded case study of the evolution of Hong Kong English based on the four parameters in Schneider's ( 2007 ) framework, viz. sociopolitical background, identity constructions, sociolinguistic conditions, and linguistic effects. Whereas previous applications of the framework have relied on synchronic data, this study draws on sets of primary data spanning 170 years. These diachronic datasets make it possible to demarcate distinct phases in the use of English in society and the evolution of its community of users. The study casts doubt on the accuracy of Schneider's account of the evolution of Hong Kong English and, more generally, the applicability of the Dynamic Model to Outer Circle contexts.     

At Arm's Length: The Filipina Domestic Helper-Chinese Employer Relationship in Hong Kong

Abstract  This paper aims at examining the influence of the migrant-host group relations on migration networks by analyzing the case of Filipina migration as domestic helpers to Hong Kong. Since the stability of the migrants' relationship with their host group members is a crucial factor in the formation of migration chain, focus is put on the face-to-face relationship between Filipina helpers and Chinese employers.
In regard to the type of helper-employer relationship, two different aspects have been suggested; one is exploitative and the other genial. The exploitative relationship develops when employers take advantage of 'the migrants' less protected legal status, but it is a threat to sustaining stable, long-term employment of the helpers. The genial relationship develops from concern, but it also has the danger of deteriorating the basic employer-employee relationship. In order to avoid these two extremes, the adjusted form of relationship develops, which reduces the strain in the employment relationship by the genial atmosphere, and prevents it from collapsing by providing employers with senior authority in their quasi-familial relationship with their helpers.
This transformed relationship keeps the helper-employer relation stable. preventing it from being endangered by its limited geniality, while encouraging them in mutual trust through moderate friendship. Being based on mutual trust, it also facilitates the development of migration networks by duplicating itself through the kinship networks of both parties.     

香港特区青年人力资源的培养

一向对周边经济变化极为敏感的香港特区,随着内地经济的高速发展及全球化的趋势,随着知识经济新时代的来临,以及中国加入世界贸易组织,面对这些大趋势,其经济结构也将无可避免地面临着转型,社会发展所需的人才特质亦会因此改变。 香港特区在人力资源培育方面曾作出什么样的努力？它的前途如何？本文将就香港近年来在培育人才方面所面对的挑战,以及特区政府与社会团体近年来所采取的相应措施,作一简单的报告。 一、香港特区青年人力资源培训工作的大环境 １．内地经济高速发展 一直以来,香港与内地的关系紧密,形成互惠互利的经济协…     

The paradox of academic determinism and adolescent romance in Hong Kong

How do adolescents negotiate romance in an environment that is hostile to it? Why do they seek out and practice romantic engagements despite negative sanctions? This paper addresses these questions by examining how Hong Kong Chinese adolescents narrate and practice romance in the context of academic determinism – the discourse that academic success is the most important determinant of young people’s futures. I discuss how academic determinism shapes their narratives, ideals and practices of romance. I also analyse the paradox of academic determinism – how it simultaneously de-legitimises adolescent romance and fuels young people’s desire for it. By focusing on transactions between young people and their environments, this paper makes a unique contribution towards theorising how young people negotiate and practice romance in the context of academic pressure, adult surveillance and control.     

The historical trajectory and diaspora of Hong Kong immigrants in Africa

Using Diaspora as a theoretical framework, this article investigates the historical trajectory of Hong Kong immigrant access to Africa, the evolution of their diaspora as well as living strategies. Based on data collected from 10 Hong Kong immigrants during 2018-2019 in Africa, and assessment of some historical materials such as Sino-Africa political relationships, its change trajectory, trade record, and personnel exchanges, the results demonstrate that the different Hong Kong political system might lead to the entrepreneurial resource obtains and the evolution trends of the diaspora of Hong Kong immigrants. Since the 1980s, the increase of re-export trade volume between Mainland China and Hong Kong had strengthened the trade volume between Hong Kong and Africa with the development of the Sino-Africa relationship. It illustrates that the trade relations between Hong Kong and Africa have been increasingly influenced by the re-export trade between Hong Kong and mainland China. Meanwhile, the Hong Kong immigrants in Africa have gradually been showing a trend of integration with new Chinese immigrants in Africa, which navigated their identities constantly i.e., Hong Kong diaspora, Chinese ethnic group and British citizenship (overseas), while their daily life was inclined towards cosmopolitan trends.     

香港的城市安全建设与公众参与

香港的城市安全建设成效卓著,其中一个成功的经验是广大公众对于城市安全建设的积极参与。为了便利公众的参与,香港当局和相关职能部门设计了个人示范、社区参与、安全教育以及与非政府机构的合作等参与途径。而为了使得公众能够真正有效地参与到城市安全建设中来,香港政府又从经费保障、伙伴关系建设、政府公信力建设、激励制度设置以及促进多元文化平等等方面构建了保障机制。这些公众参与的具体途径和机制对于内地的城市安全建设具有重要的借鉴意义。