An Inclusive Hongkonger Identity: a focus group study of identity and sense of belonging among ethnic minority youth in Hong Kong in the context of the social unrest of 2019

Background: Set against the backdrop of the socio-political unrest in 2019, the issue of identity and belongingness has been a concern for Hong Kong’s ethnic minority population. As the proportion of South Asian ethnic minorities (ethnic minorities being the term used officially by the HK government) in Hong Kong continues to increase, there remains several questions regarding how these minorities conceptualise their sense of belonging in Hong Kong, as well as how society more broadly considers their positioning within the ‘Hongkonger’ identity. Young South Asians came into the forefront during the unrest with some actively voicing their stand while some chose not to be in the spotlight. Many political positions emerged with a common aspect that South Asian youth were renegotiating their sense of identification and belonging to the city that they called home. Aims: This presentation presents the findings of a series of focus group interviews conducted in 2020 with members of Hong Kong’s South Asian ethnic minority youth (aged 18-24). The interviews focussed on changing self and group identification and implications of these in determining their association with Hong Kong as a city and with a majority Chinese population. Theoretical Framework: Guided largely by social identity theory, the research looked at identification as a result of external influences and experiences. It used focus group interview data to examine the issue of minority identity within the context of a society with a high degree of cultural and linguistic homogeneity. Findings: The project found that identification after the unrest was highly influenced by interaction with the Chinese majority community during the unrest. The expectations from the majority community in terms of both open participation, or lack of it, during the protest led to changed self and group identification. Parents and extended family played an important role in determining identification as they influenced the youth on taking positions during the unrest. Significantly, minority youth were concerned about being visible after the protest and some were concerned about possible backlash based on their position during the protest. The sense of othering was perceived by respondents to have increased. Contribution: It is hoped that this research could help to provide insight into how minorities position themselves within a social context where they are often ‘othered’ by the mainstream, and how social unrest and trauma can impact their sense of belonging.