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The Making of Hong Kong's Separatism

Mon, August 14, 4:30 to 5:30pm, Palais des congrès de Montréal, Floor: Level 5, 517B

Abstract

The separatist movement in Hong Kong took off rapidly in recent years, culminating in the election of two pro-independence candidates to the legislative council. This surprised many in the city known for its political apathy. While commentators assume that it was a radical response triggered by frustrations toward the unpopular chief executive put in place by the communist regime in Beijing and thus could be easily reversed by his removal, I argue that the recent development is the result of a decades-long change in political culture in Hong Kong. Applying Randall Collins’s interaction ritual chain theory, I argue that both large-scale group rituals in the form of the annual candle light vigil commemorating the June 4th student movement since 1989 as well as micro-level rituals in daily interactions among Hong Kong residents regarding Chinese tourists’ objectionable behaviors nurtured and reinforced a new identity of “Hongkongers” for its residents. This identity revolves around the idea that Hong Kong is distinct from China which has taken on the quality of a sacred object in these interaction rituals. The communist regime’s attempts to exert influence on Hong Kong have been perceived as the violation of this sacred object, triggering a growing degree of moral outrage which fuels the resistance movement against interference of the communist regime in Hong Kong’s affairs. Since this strong emotional response has been associated with Hongkongers’ identity of being distinct from China, it is unlikely that the emergent separatist movement will disappear merely by replacing the chief executive.

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