After Autonomy: A Post-Mortem for Hong Kong's first Handover, 1997-2019

The book provides a critical analysis of the 2019 anti-extradition bill movement in Hong Kong, examining its roots in the Basic Law system, colonial and post-colonial contexts, and the impossibility of autonomy. It also examines the need for state capacity and proper livelihood development in the light of the Covid pandemic.

Format: Hardback
Length: 176 pages
Publication date: 23 September 2022
Publisher: Springer Verlag, Singapore

This comprehensive book delves into a critical analysis of the rise and fall of the 2019 anti-extradition bill movement in Hong Kong, encompassing a wide range of historical events and their aftermaths in the context of mainland sovereignty reassertion over the Special Administrative Region (SAR). By examining the conflict from a nuanced perspective, the author challenges the romanticization or simplistic condemnation of the movement. Instead, they delve into the underlying roots of the issue, including the Basic Law system, colonial history, and the post-colonial dynamics of Hong Kong.

The book explores the complex question of localist identity and its discontents, examining the challenges posed by nativism, violence, and liberalism within the context of the city's unique political structure. It also examines the impossibility of autonomy and explores what forms a genuine de-colonization could take in Hong Kong.

In the concluding chapter, the author examines Hong Kong's need for state capacity and proper livelihood development in the wake of the Omicron wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. They highlight the challenges faced by the SAR as it enters a second handover era, and consider the implications for the city's future.

Overall, this book provides a valuable contribution to understanding the complex dynamics of Hong Kong's political and social landscape, offering a nuanced and insightful analysis of the 2019 anti-extradition bill movement and its broader historical context.

Weight: 383g
Dimension: 210 x 148 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9789811949821
Edition number: 1st ed. 2022