Risk, Reflexivity and Sub-politics: Environmental Politics in Hong Kong

Raymond K. H. Chan 서울대학교행정대학원 2008 Asian Journal of Political Science Vol.16 No.3

Increasing attention has been drawn to the risk posed by air pollution, a risk that haswide-ranging effects (on the environment, health, the economy, culture, urban designand politics). New environmental movements and political agendas have emerged in thepast 10 years. A growing number of social groups have been formed to express theirconcerns and challenge established laws and rules. This paper will borrow Ulrich Beck’sconcepts of risk, reflexivity and sub-politics to analyse the new social movement thataddresses air quality in Hong Kong. While previous environmental problems wereconsidered manageable, air pollution is a risk that seems to defy solution. As a result ofthe institutional failure to deal with this risk, there has been a new alignment of interestsand the emergence of a new form of politics*a sub-politics that leads to a sharing ofpower between established and informal politics, and the government and society. Although established political institutions have been receptive, altering the rules andincreasing public participation, the extent of sub-politicization is still limited. This is due,in part, to the overall absence of reflexive self-regulation among individuals in thesociety, which might lead to a state of ‘disorganized irresponsibility’.

Agentic values, generational contract, and elderly provisions in Taiwan and Hong Kong

Chan Raymond K. H.,Wang Lih‐Rong,Hu Kang 한국사회복지학회 2020 Asian Social Work and Policy Review Vol.14 No.3

It is commonly believed that, in Chinese societies, respect for the elderly and communal values sustains a generational contract that benefits the older generation. Overt intergenerational conflict appears to be rare, though recent policy reforms have raised concerns about competing generational interests. Drawing on data from the sixth wave of the World Value Survey, we identified significant generational differences in values and in attitudes toward the elderly in Taiwan and Hong Kong. Agentic values are associated with more negative attitudes toward the elderly and have led to increased questioning of the distribution of resources to the elderly that may herald a weakening of the generational contract in both societies. We argue that the interests and concerns of the younger population must be adequately addressed. Upholding fairness in resource distribution, rather than simply appealing to traditional values, will provide a more solid groundwork to combat the increasing uncertainty in these two aging societies.

Changing Life Courses and Risks in East Asian Societies

Raymond K H Chan 한국사회학회 2015 韓國社會學 Vol.49 No.3

“Life course” refers to the sequence of activities and events in various domains throughout the stages of life. It has been argued that the life course was standardized and institutionalized, but that, since the 1980s, it has become de-standardized or increasingly diversified. Various types of risks have emerged and intensified. This paper suggests that these risks have led to a re-standardized life course, though with greater variations, in developed East Asian societies. It also examines the potential risks ? Transitional Life Course Risk, Compressed Life Course Risk and Alternative Life Course Risk - that have resulted from these changes and the tensions between individuals and systems.

Life Aspirations: Their Impact on Family and Work Conflict and Life Satisfaction in Hong Kong and Taiwan

Raymond K.H. Chan,Lih-Rong Wang 한국사회복지학회 2015 Asian Social Work and Policy Review Vol.9 No.3

Family and work conflict (F/WC) has gained prominence in developed economies in Asia as individuals are faced with the increased demands from work and families that are still considered very important. Hong Kong and Taiwan best illustrate the changing social and economic conditions that have given rise to this conflict. In these two societies, people have demonstrated a strong emphasis on work, even when it entails the sacrifice of family tasks and duties. An array of informal and formal services have been mobilized to allow people to fulfill their duties to work and family. Based on surveys conducted in Hong Kong and Taiwan in late 2009, this paper investigated F/WC and life satisfaction. Specifically, it examined changing life aspirations, both material and non-material, as predictors of F/WC and life satisfaction. The surveys found that respondents had high aspirations for both their family and their work, and for both material and non-material assets, and that they experienced high-level F/WC. Based on the statistical analysis, we argue that minimizing the interference of family life on work and emphasizing non-material life aspirations could promote better life satisfaction.

Competence Trust, Reflexivity and Risk Management in Hong Kong

Raymond K. H. Chan 서울대학교행정대학원 2013 Asian Journal of Political Science Vol.20 No.3

Trust is an essential element of governance. Lack of trust in government engenders doubtsregarding its competence, weakens its legitimacy, and creates difficulties in the process ofgoverning. As suggested, declining trust was related to reflexivity. This article, based on aHong Kong study, confirms that a lack of competence trust in the government’s ability tomanage work-related risks correlated with reflexivity. Self-identified social status alsoinfluences the degree of reflexivity and competence trust. The conventional approach tocultivating trust through managed social participation has been widely practiced, but theresults have not led to an increase in competence trust in Hong Kong, even when thepolicy outcomes are positive. While recognizing that reflexivity and its impacts on trustare inevitable, this article argues that efforts should be made to develop critical trustthrough meaningful participation in the deliberative process.

From Transitional to Permanent Uncertainty: Employability of Middle-aged Workers in Hong Kong

Raymond K.H. Chan 한국사회복지학회 2016 Asian Social Work and Policy Review Vol.10 No.3

Since the 1990s, Hong Kong has experienced increasing economic uncertainty. Middle-aged workers, who often have little formal education and limited skills, have been the first casualties of economic restructuring. Initially, their unemployment was considered transitional. Limited government-sponsored retraining programs were expected to improve their employability. Subsequent economic crises, however, have undercut the hopes of both workers and policy-makers. Despite improvements in the job market since the mid-2000s, the belief that unemployment was transitional has been replaced by a permanent state of uncertainty and consequent anxiety. Flexibility is considered the key to sustaining economic growth, and would relieve the insecurity and anxiety associated with unemployment. Policies have been modified, but they are still based on a narrowly defined concept of individual employability, which consolidates the sense of uncertainty. To address the factors contributing to the perception of permanent uncertainty among middle-aged workers, we advocate a pragmatic approach that takes reference from the notion of flexicurity to mitigate this sense of uncertainty.

Generational conflict and provisions for the elderly in Hong Kong: The relevance of position-based interest and values

Raymond K H Chan,Lih-RongWang 한국사회복지학회 2019 Asian Social Work and Policy Review Vol.13 No.1

Respect for the elderly and hence the associated rights support a generational contract. Nevertheless, the case of the recent debate on the universal retirement scheme in Hong Kong has raised concerns about its strength. We identify relevant items from the sixth wave of the World Values Survey to explore the orientations of different generations toward others. The analysis shows differences between younger and older generations. Regression analyses show that values are not significant in explaining the differences, but various positions, including sex, marital status, and education, and perceptions of the elderly are relevant. Such differences across generations might weaken the generational contract and potentially engender conflicts as shown in the recent debate about the retirement scheme. We suggest short-and long-term interest calculations, informed by their positions, play a more significant role in policy discussions and decisions, rather than simply appealing to values

Nurturing the global competence of high school students in Shenzhen: The impact of school-based global learning education, knowledge, and family income

Kwok Kuen Tsang,Hing Kwan To,Raymond K. H. Chan 한국교육개발원 2020 KEDI Journal of Educational Policy Vol.17 No.2

The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between school-based global learning education (GLE), knowledge, family income, and global competence, which consists of global perspective and intercultural literacy. Based on a survey of 599 high school students in Shenzhen, it finds that school-based GLE has direct positive effects on intercultural literacy. Although GLE does not have a direct impact on global perspective, it can influence global perspective through knowledge. When family income is taken into consideration, school-based GLE has no impact on the knowledge of students from low-income families, and their knowledge has no effect on their intercultural literacy. In contrast, family income has a negative impact on the knowledge of students from high-income families, and their knowledge has a positive effect on their intercultural literacy.