Group identity in Hong Kong; simply ‘black’ or ‘white’? Narratives of Hong Kong citizens among two generations during the 2019 summer protests

Abstract

During the summer of 2019, the largest protests in Hong Kong’s history occurred. The Be Water protests were related to a proposed extradition law, they were also connected to pro-democracy movements in Hong Kong. In the protests, a lot of the slogans referred to a Hong Kong identity separate from a Chinese identity. The two identities seemed to be seen as two contrasting identities and dichotomy, reflecting two polarized views in the Hong Kong society. On one side, one could see mainly young protesters in black fighting for a Hong Kong identity. In contrast to this group, one could see mainly older citizens in Hong Kong wearing white, arguing for a Chinese identity alongside a Hong Kong identity.

This research deals with the case of social identity in the context of the 2019 summer protest in Hong Kong, with the hypotheses of a generational difference and connection of identity and support of the social movement. By interviewing ten Hong Kong citizens belonging to two different generations, narratives about their identity and the Hong Kong society were gathered during field work. These narratives serve as data for analysis of how these individuals understand identity in Hong Kong in relation to other identities. Based on social identity theory and generational theory, this research examined what a Hong Kong identity actually involves for the participants and how ‘othering’ of a Chinese identity took place.

The case and this research contribute in an understanding of why identity was relevant for the protest, how it connects to generations and political views in Hong Kong. Furthermore, the findings of this research demonstrate the complexity of identity, particularly in a post-colonial context.