Hong Kong Decolonized and Recolonized

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

Colonialism is almost universally denounced. When, then, would Hong Kong activists wave the Union Jack in various demonstrations over the years? Why do they long for the British colonial era as the good old days? This course examines Hong Kong's struggle for democracy and autonomy in the intersection of colonial and Chinese history. It discusses what happened before and after the city's return to the Chinese government under the "one country, two systems" model in 1997. It studies how Hong Kong, once "a city of protest," has been turned into a city of fear today. Under the draconian National Security Law imposed in 2020, Hong Kong has effectively been recolonized. An estimated half a million Hong Kongers will have left by 2023. This class will supplement academic readings with memoirs and documentaries. It will also bring in Hong Kong activists to speak to the class about their dreams and despair.