Repositioning the Hong Kong Government

The relationship between government and society in Hong Kong has become an intensely debated topic as the complexities of governance grow and the old strategies of consensus building without genuine public participation fail to satisfy. Lacking democratic credentials, the Hong Kong SAR government finds itself more and more limited in its capacity to implement policies and less able to rely on traditional allies. A society dissatisfied with old forms of governance has become ever more ready to mobilize itself outside of the formal political structures.

This collection by leading scholars examines the Hong Kong government’s efforts to reposition itself in the economy and society under the pressures of globalization, economic and political restructuring and the rise of civil society. Drawing on changing theoretical conceptions of state, market and citizenship, Repositioning the Hong Kong Government offers new interpretations of the problems of governance in Hong Kong and puts forward positive suggestions for resolving them.

Repositioning the Hong Kong Government will be essential reading for scholars, students and policy-makers with an interest in Hong Kong society and politics, and to scholars of East Asian societies, globalization, and state-society relations.

Stephen Wing-kai Chiu is associate director of the Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies, the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Siu-lun Wong is former director of the Centre of Asian Studies, University of Hong Kong.

“This edited volume prompts a rethink of Hong Kong’s governance crisis under Chinese sovereignty. . . . [It] highlights the relevance of statist theories in broadening our understanding of contemporary Hong Kong’s governance. The book is therefore an essential reference for those who are interested in Hong Kong’s political development, and it should make a significant contribution to stimulating further studies on the governance of Hong Kong and its state capacity.” —China Information