Beholding Hong Kong Today? Justifying Securitization through (De)Politicization
A Content Analysis of Liberal Studies Textbooks
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21345495 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Yu Hang Kwok (0009-0009-1176-5889, National Taiwan Normal University), Ying-Jie Jheng (National Taiwan Normal University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 58 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 185-212 |
| Publication date | 2026-03-04 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Curriculum Studies (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0022-0272 • E-ISSN: 1366-5839 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/00220272.2025.2476937 |
| OpenAlex | W4408776026 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 32 |
Background In the 2021-2022 academic year, Liberal Studies (LS) of Hong Kong secondary education underwent a major reform. Significant changes made in the curriculum, including reduction in lesson hours and contents, have sparked discussions regarding their political implications.Method This study applies Balzacq’s securitization theory to analyze the implementation of LS reforms in Hong Kong. A qualitative content analysis focusing on ‘politicization’ and ‘depoliticization’ was conducted on all five editions of the ‘Hong Kong Today’ textbooks published between 2012 and 2020.Results Findings indicate that LS textbooks and examinations have undergone distinctive changes over time, reflecting a dynamic interplay (pre-2016 and post-2016) between politicization and depoliticization. These shifts align with broader political transformations and securitization efforts in Hong Kong.Conclusion This study provides a nuanced understanding of how curriculum reforms reflect broader socio-political developments. Insights into the intersection of education and politics are drawn, with implications not only for Hong Kong but also for curriculum analysis in other contexts
Content (measure theory) · Content analysis · Economics · Political science · Securitization · Social science · Sociology · Hong Kong and Taiwan Politics · Mathematics · Philippine History and Culture · Socioeconomic Development in Asia
The life and death of Liberal Studies
The Politics of Education Reform in China's Hong Kong
Securitization and Desecuritization Processes in Protracted Conflicts
Security
Securitization Theory. How Security Problems Emerge and Dissolve
How China and Chinese people are visually represented
Why Are the Liberal Studies Textbooks That Stigmatized China Spread in Hong Kong? A Textual Analysis from Foucauldian Order of Discourse
Competition between Politicized and Depoliticized Versions of Civic Education Curricula
Are Liberal Studies teachers ready to prepare human rights respecting students? A portrait of teachers’ attitudes towards human rights
Expectations versus reality
Accelerating Hong Kong’s reeducation
Schooling, politics and the construction of identity in Hong Kong
The motherland’s suffocating embrace
| Highly cited | No |
|---|