Christian social discourse in postcolonial Hong Kong

Bibliographic Data

ID4863652
AuthorsShun-Hing Chan, Shun Hing Seguire Chan (0000-0003-4836-5968, corresponding author)
Year2007
Volume10
Issue4
Pages447-466
Publication date2007-12-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenuePostcolonial Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1368-8790 • E-ISSN: 1466-1888
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/13688790701621433
OpenAlexW2048877603
LanguageEN
Citations received2

This paper examines Christian social discourse in Hong Kong from 1997 to 2007, in order to reveal the changing identities of Christian communities in the post-colonial setting. I argue that the social discourses and practices of Hong Kong Christians were multivariate. Despite this, two main kinds of discourses and practices can be identified. The first is the “pragmatic model” – which lent support to the Hong Kong SAR government and implicitly accepted the authoritarian rule of the government of China. The second is the “protest model” – which supported democratic and political reform and the implementation of human rights in Hong Kong society by participating in social movement activities. The above models show that some Christians chose to cooperate with the Chinese government in order to ensure the future development of their own communities. Others challenged the authoritarian rule of the Chinese government by embracing universal values such as democracy and human rights, and took part in attempts to build a civil society. The case of the Christian communities reflects the changing identity of Hong Kong people in the post-colonial period

Authoritarianism · China · Civil society · Democracy · Human rights · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Rule of law · Sociology · Gender Studies · Law · Religion, Society, and Development

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