Pro-democracy Social Movements in Hong Kong and Their Unintentional, Paralyzing Effects on Chinese Civil Society

• In Event: 4322 - Section on Political Sociology Refereed Roundtable Session
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: Table 05. Political Sociology of China

Abstract

Existing scholarships on globalization tend to be optimistic about the potential role of global civil society as a countermovement to hegemonic power, but underestimate the challenges and uncertainty of the institutional environment where NGOs and their international alliances operating under authoritarian regimes. Not only do we need research on the formation of regional and international collaborations fostering the growth of civil society, but also the study about the dismantling of the sector. In contrast to Habermas’ argument of the potential role of social movements as agents of revitalizing civil society, I propose social movements could unintentionally set back the development of civil society under authoritarian regimes when civil society there is emerging but fragile. Using a case study of the pro-democracy movements in Hong Kong in 2014, I examine various aspects of such unintentional, paralyzing effects of social movements on Chinese civil society. Fearing Hong Kong’s protests might spill over to Mainland China, the Beijing authority adopted multiple strategies to contain the pro-democracy movements within Hong Kong, such as reframing the protests as civil disobedience. Based on media content analysis, interviews, and ethnography of grassroots NGOs in the city of Guangzhou near Hong Kong, my study shows the state has significantly strengthened the control over Guangzhou’s nonprofit sector since 2014. The Chinese Anti-Foreign NGO law also quickly passed by the Congress in early 2016. Ironically, the law has declared Hong Kong NGOs as foreign NGOs, limiting their future activities in Mainland. Using the theory of field, I found three main aspects of the state’s effect on dismantling civil society: interrupting the flow of resources, undermining the legitimacy of people and organizations, and destabilizing the ties between allies.

Author

• Wenjuan Zheng, City University of New York-The Graduate Center