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This paper addresses some fundamental methodological and ethical issues confronting non-Chinese researchers undertaking research in Hong Kong Chinese society. Among other things, it considers problems pertaining to data collection, the challenges of data interpretation, and the implication that this has for research. Whilst the issues are by no means unique to Hong Kong, there are a number of matters related to outsider research that require special attention in the Hong Kong Chinese context, even when the researchers may be acquainted with both the context and the participants. Understanding the context of research, including the socio-cultural context of which the research participants are a part leads to an enhanced understanding of the issues at hand. This paper intends to serve as an overview that may guide future research in Hong Kong. Issues raised in this paper will need re-theorizing in order to provide a more realistic and comprehensive view of the need to re-examine the paradigms that guide research methodology in Confucian societies. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

By studying the debate on whether the pro-market reforms in Hong Kong are positively related to Confucianism, this paper is intended to contribute to the examination of the importance of two views on the ethnocentric bias in the comparative study of social welfare. The first view attributes the bias to the under-emphasis between the western and non-western governments in organising social welfare. The second view attributes the bias to the over-emphasis on the similarities between the western and non-western governments in organising social welfare. Based on the study of Hong Kong as a case, this paper argues that both views enhance our understanding of how non-western governments organise social welfare in response to their cultural heritage and the ideas upheld by some western governments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper addresses the under-explored issue of the role of politics in the construction of masculinity, focusing specifically on political Confucianism and men’s doing of gender in the context of Hong Kong’s recent turbulent history. Between 2014 and 2016 we conducted a series of paired interviews and focus groups with 10 Hong Kong men from differing social backgrounds. Through cooperative grounded inquiry, we demonstrate how political events and figures provided points of reference for these men in the construction and performance of masculinities. We emphasize the importance of Confucian hierarchical harmony to gender performance, elaborating three cultural logics—respectability, responsibility, and romance—underpinning the doing of Hong Kong masculinities. We thereby shed light on the mutual constitution of personal and political selves and how men define and redefine masculine ideals in times of political turbulence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to compare the family-friendly policies developed in Sweden, the UK and Singapore and discuss the implications on family-friendly policies in Hong Kong. Design/methodology/approach – The study draws on policy documents of the three countries, to examine the welfare model, the service provisions and the outcomes of the family-friendly policies. Findings – In the study, the paper finds that considerable differences exist among the three countries in their conception of the role and responsibility of government in the reconciliation of family and work conflict. Strategies ranging from a high degree of intervention to minimal intervention are closely related to the social welfare regime of a country. Learning from the international experiences, it is important to link work and family policies in developing family-friendly policy in Hong Kong because work and family are not two separate worlds. Originality/value – Numerous studies have documented the effectiveness and impact of family-friendly policies in their own countries, but little has been done to compare the international experiences. The analysis contributes to offer a clear direction of developing family-friendly policy in Hong Kong. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the influence of CHC on how the insider/outsider distinction is drawn and what consequences follow for the conduct of research. The paper outlines the methodological complexities faced by us whilst conducting our respective research projects in Hong Kong. In the studies reported in this paper we, the researchers, were insiders at one level as both of us have a degree of familiarity with Hong Kong being residents of the city. We were also insiders on a professional level in the contexts under study. However being ethnically non-Chinese positioned us as outsiders. Additionally, our Western-trained research selves accepted certain normative paradigms, whilst our own personal ethno-centricities tended to question these self-same paradigms. In sum, the research context for us assumed hues in accordance with the lens that we were using for viewing our data concurrently and concomitantly and this we argue has much to do with the research methodologies that we used in the studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Classical Chinese thought slowly formed from the 9th century BCE onward through the Spring and Autumn era but reached its pivotal point during the so-called Warring States era (5th to 2nd centuries BCE). According to historical records, during these three hundred years more than four hundred wars of different scales raged across the Chinese world. These wars brought with them their own consequences like famines and abject poverty, terrible inequality and disillusionment. An intellectual history forming in these conditions understandably and inevitably was influenced by these conditions. In this context, the Hong Kong philosopher Yuk Hui presents his thesis of "cosmotechnics", the view that merely understanding the world is not enough, it is paramount to change it for the betterment of people's lives. This is the theoretical underpinning of much of classical Chinese thought, according to Yuk Hui, and therefore also for the drive to acquire knowledge. Thus, one unique aspect of classical Chinese thought is its interminable insistence on how man's every action must have a reason beyond that action itself and any sort of philosophizing that does not lead to practice in changing the environment for the good of the people inhabiting it, is a wasted and useless thought. Therefore, there are a number of words and concepts related to the acquisition of knowledge in Classical and modern Chinese, like "learning" 學, "teaching" 教, "discussion" 論, "argumentation" 辯, and so on, but all these are encompassed within "the way" 道, specifically the "correct way of doing a thing", i.e.: actual practice, rather than mere thought alone. I aim to present several examples of this from remote Chinese antiquity and classical Chinese thought within the framework of what I term "cosmotechnical joy" stemming from making people's lives better. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines generalized trust and trust in institutions in Confucian Asia, covering six countries namely, China, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam, and one dependent region, Hong Kong. Using data from the 2006 AsiaBarometer Survey, our study affirms the reliability and validity of using a two-item scale to measure generalized trust. Our analysis suggests that due to demographic differences, there are variations in the level of generalized trust of countries in Confucian Asia, despite the fact that these societies share a similar background in Confucian philosophy. The relationships between generalized trust and political trust, and between generalized trust and trust in public institutions, are weak but positive. The positive relationship between generalized trust and trust in economic institutions is only significant for some of the economies, while trust in international institutions has the weakest relationship with generalized trust for all societies. We conclude the paper with research implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hong Kong is traditionally an examination-oriented culture, a legacy of its Confucian heritage. Since the 1990s, the Hong Kong government has shown its determination to make a change to this deep-rooted examination-oriented culture with assessment for learning highlighted as an important aspect in the reform agenda. Although many initiatives have been put in place, the government has not seen many changes in the assessment practices in schools. This paper discusses the difficulties faced when seeking to establish formative assessment in an examination culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This paper argues that the concepts, beliefs and understandings of local and non-local teacher educators in a Hong Kong university are grounded in their own cultural cognition and antecedents. It presents the viewpoint that contemporary notions of good practice were compromised when applied to a context that is strongly influenced by the tenets of Confucianism. Thus the conclusion is that the contingencies of teaching and learning contexts are sufficiently different to compromise the goal of having pre-constructed notions of good teaching. The alternative is that university tutors and future researchers re-conceptualise good teaching practices within a context that gives it meaning and purpose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper attempts to examine the interaction between Confucian values and the governance processes in Hong Kong in the post-Second World War period. As a British colony developed first as an entrepôt, then as a base for labourintensive industries and subsequently an international business service centre and financial centre, the rule of law and individual freedoms were respected in an early stage, at least they became quite well established from the 1950s onwards. Hence democratization has largely been concentrated on the establishment of a democratic political system. In 2003, the pro-democracy movement in the territory began to demand for the direct election of the Chief Executive by universal suffrage by 2007 and the elections of all the seats of the legislature by the same method in 2008. Democracy in this way is treated as a procedure for making political decisions, something similar to what Robert A. Dahl calls polyarchy. Like most Western European countries, Hong Kong is now anticipating economic slowdown, and Hong Kong people may have to seek their satisfaction elsewhere. New aspects of self-cultivation and family harmony will have to be explored in the context of traditional Confucian values which, hopefully, will continue to provide inner peace and emotional support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whether an individual has a right to marry another person of the same sex has garnered tremendous judicial, political and scholarly attention in the past decade, and it certainly will continue to do so in the years to come, for such a right is one which sexual minority rights activists consider to be part and parcel of their struggle for equality whilst opponents of homosexuality and sexual minority rights regard it as the ultimate destruction of marriage and society. Adopting a comparative and socio-legal approach, this paper refutes the notion that homosexuality and protection of sexual minorities, including recognition of the right of a person to marry another person of the same sex, are Western concepts inapplicable in Hong Kong, a conservative Confucian society. In doing so, the author also questions the place of Christianity and the Bible in Hong Kong society and dissects those verses in the Bible on which opponents of homosexuality and sexual minority rights rely. Then, referring to debates on the issue and on judicial activism, the author maintains that recognition of the right of a person to marry another person of the same sex constitutes a constitutional and democratic requirement which an impartial and responsible judiciary must uphold. Finally, the author analyses Hong Kong's international treaty obligations in relation to same-sex marriage and to active protection of the right of equality of all persons, irrespective of their sexual orientations, within its jurisdiction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Hong Kong, even though the Bill of Rights Ordinance (the localized version of ICCPR), Sex Discrimination Ordinance and a series of legal reforms were enacted and introduced respectively in 1991 and 1994, gender discrimination in legal discourse still persists. Chinese customary law, which only recognises the male's right to build small houses in the New Territories, remains an exception under the Sex Discrimination Ordinance; and the oppression of (female) sex workers is not yet recognized. Some politicians argue that discrimination is inherent in the Han-Chinese culture of harmony, which is impossible to understand from the Euro-American individual-centric perspective of gender equality. They further quote Daoist YIN-YANG cosmology where YANG/Male/Masculinity is supreme; and Confucian Constant Virtues where women are marginalized as examples showing that Han-Chinese culture, where harmony is hegemonized, cannot tolerate or accept gender equality. This paper adopts a critical perspective in examining the above arguments and points out not only that a “pure” version of patriarchal socio-legal culture in the name of harmony hegemony does not exist, but (indigenous) culture should always be meticulously and critically represented in order to reproduce “justice”. I would also argue that it is possible to scrutinize and explore the spaces of resistance within the Hong Kong Han-Chinese socio-legal culture, where foreign theories of gender justice/equality and related legal reforms can be examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rule of law is commonly understood to incorporate several components that have been proposed as integral to the development and sustainability of a mature democracy: separation of powers; equality before, and supremacy of, the law; equitable participation in decision making through personal freedoms; public promulgation of laws; transparency and legal certainty; and others. Yet it can often be construed as a Western hegemonic, even neo-colonial, globalized concept that has been exported to replace more traditional thoughts of good governance. This article examines the rule of law in Hong Kong that emerged from under British rule in 1997 with a deeply ingrained common law system founded upon Western concepts of the rule of law. Yet Hong Kong continues to exhibit in its governance elements of Confucian thought--jūunzĭ (gentleman), yi (justice), xin (integrity), and li (reason). For this reason, it serves as fertile ground for examining the extent of the impact of a globalized hegemony on local populations. I argue that Hong Kong continues to incorporate both systems of governance, exemplifying the persistence of a colonial form of power in the former colony and dependant territory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this article is to explore the intrinsic value of Confucianism and its relationship with the common law in the area of corporate governance and see how they can both work together to solve the corporate governance problems in China. In the course of analysis, we take a qualitative approach in adopting a case study to illustrate how Confucianism can be applied in the course of business management to address problems such as the appointment of board members, conflicting directorships, auditor independence, conflict of interest, corruption, and manipulation. We propose that the Western institution of corporate governance system can co-exist with Confucianism as the guiding compass for the direction of a company in Hong Kong and may have reference value for China. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

According to Eccles et al.’s (1983) Expectancy Value Model, the two major constructs that influence young people’s activity choice are subjective task value and expectancy beliefs (Eccles et al., 1983). Eccles et al. (1983) conceptually distinguished four dimensions of subjective task value: attainment value, intrinsic value, utility value and cost, and two dimensions of expectancy beliefs: expectancies for success and competence beliefs. Previous studies have been conducted with Western populations, but little is known about how the subjective task value and expectancy beliefs act in relation to physical activity for Chinese populations. This study sought to examine the factors that contribute to Hong Kong Chinese young people’s values and expectancy beliefs in physical activity. The participants were selected purposefully for this qualitative interview study from a larger mixed method study (Pang and Ha, 2010). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 Hong Kong Chinese young people (six boys and six girls, aged 10–12) in three government-funded schools. Results invite us to take into account the two contrasting values of collectivism and individualism, the deeply rooted capitalistic economy and the philosophy of Confucianism that act hand in hand in shaping the physical activity values and expectancy beliefs of contemporary Hong Kong Chinese young people. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The early twentieth century witnessed both the thriving of Chinese newspapers in the British colony Hong Kong and the boom of Chinese translation of foreign literature. This article, through the translated literature in Chinese newspapers, explores the interaction among print media, Chinese women, and translation in the early twentieth century Hong Kong. It argues that many factors contributed to the prevailing ideology concerning women in the British colony, including the skewed sex ratio, Confucianism as the hegemonic ideology, and the conspiracy between elite Chinese and the colonial rulers, and thus that the manipulation of images of women in Chinese translations was ideologically motivated. Such pervasive ideology characteristic of Hong Kong at that given moment in history undoubtedly created pressures on the translators, which were exacerbated by the difference in the construction of the images of women in the English original and its Chinese translated counterparts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Confucian values form the core of the Chinese culture, penetrating all levels of social life, and also set the standards for family, community and political behavior. The teaching of values is deemed to be an important aspect of young children's education and usually the responsibility for this is seen to rest with the family. Much interest has been generated recently on the teaching of core values in early childhood curriculum in order to encourage tolerance, acceptance, trust, openness, and honesty in children. Research on Confucianism is popularly conducted in different cultural contexts all over the world. Furthermore research has shown that Confucianism continues to exert a major influence on the everyday lives of Asian communities. Given the interest in Confucian values, this research study was designed to examine the expressed views of three cohorts of professionals in Hong Kong about the preservation of such values and their application to early childhood teaching. This study confirmed the view that there is a need to preserve cultural values to enable the child to be accepted in the society, especially with the value of 'Ren' helping one to learn how to interact with others and with the value of 'Li' further defining the appropriate behaviour in this interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With its British colonial legacy and Chinese make-up, Hong Kong provides a stimulating stadium and lens through which to examine the validity of the use of “culture” in arguing against homosexuality and the development and protection of the rights of sexual minorities. After a brief account on the legal developments in Hong Kong on homosexuality, this article examines how the argument that Hong Kong has an inherently anti-gay rights culture, which simultaneously emphasizes Confucianism and Christianity, and which the government then uses to stonewall the development and protection of the rights of sexual minorities, merely illuminates an underlying schizophrenia as to what that culture actually is. In the process of my diagnosis, I will also discuss whether Confucianism and Christianity indeed oppose homosexuality and sexual minority rights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A model of corporate ethics and social responsibility (CESR) was developed and empirically tested among Chinese business undergraduates in Hong Kong and Singapore. As predicted, it was found that CESR beliefs were negatively related to Machiavellianism and two Confucian concepts, guanxi (interpersonal connections) and mianzi (face). CESR beliefs were also lower among Hong Kong than Singaporean youths. The negative effects of guanxi, mianzi, and Machiavellianism were more pronounced for the Hong Kong than Singapore sample. Implications of these findings are discussed and directions for future research suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]