Hong Kong Youth Radicalization from the Perspective of Relative Deprivation
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CCPS4(2)-Zamecki.pdf (1.28 MB)
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Date
2018-10
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National Sun Yat-sen University
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Abstract
The aim of this paper is to highlight the influence of relative deprivation (RD), observed amongst a number of Hongkongese youth, on the process of radicalization of Hong Kong politics. The thesis of this paper is that the political radicalization of youth, noticeable particularly in recent years (e.g. more violent protests, the growth of nativist and localist organizations and the flourishing idea of self-determination of Hong Kong), can be an effect of RD. The findings conclude that the feeling of deprivation amongst youth refers to two spheres: “political values” and “welfare values”. The former concern the expectations of democratization of the political system and the latter relate to the feeling of dismantling the economic status and cultural identity ofHongkongers. The results of this paper are based on a small-range qualitative research (focus groups, in-depth interviews) conducted in April 201 4, November 201 5 and September 201 6 on the group of HK students, scholars, journalists, and politicians. The analysis leads to the conclusion that without real changes in the political system of Hong Kong, the level of radicalization might further increase in the coming years.