Publications:
Tsao, J., Hardy, I., & Lingard, B. (2021). Schooling in Hong Kong, youth aspirations, and the contesting of Chinese identity. British Journal of Sociology of Education, 42(2), 196–212.
https://doi.org/10.1080/01425692.2021.1882836
Hong Kong Youth Aspirations and Chinese Identity
By Jack Tsao, Ian Hardy, Bob Lingard
About
This study explores how Hong Kong secondary students’ aspirations and attitudes toward Chinese identity are shaped by their schooling experiences, language policies, and the broader postcolonial, neoliberal, and geopolitical conditions of Hong Kong. It highlights the ambivalence of students had towards transborder opportunities in mainland China due to cultural, political, and linguistic tensions, despite efforts by schools to promote Chinese identity and cross-border integration.
Key findings and contributions:
- Students expressed reluctance or resistance to pursuing study or work opportunities in mainland China, citing cultural incompatibilities, political concerns, and perceived moral and social differences.
- English was valued as a form of cultural and economic capital, while Chinese Mandarin (Putonghua) was seen as difficult to learn and associated with political assimilation, leading to ambivalence about its acquisition.
- Schools actively promoted Chinese identity through cultural exchanges and extracurricular activities, but these efforts were largely ineffective in overcoming students’ skepticism and resistance to identifying with mainland China.
- Students’ aspirations were shaped by Hong Kong’s neoliberal values of individualism, competition, and global orientation, which clashed with the collectivist and nationalist demands of Chinese identity promoted by the state.
- Policymakers should consider revising national identity education to better reflect the unique cultural and political characteristics of Hong Kong, to foster a sense of belonging without alienating students.
- Schools and teachers should focus on more practical, engaging, and less politically charged approaches to teaching Mandarin, emphasising its utility for cross-border opportunities while addressing students’ anxieties.
- Efforts should be made to create pathways that reconcile students’ global aspirations with opportunities in mainland China, such as fostering exchange programs that emphasize mutual understanding and respect for cultural differences.