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Copyright National Sun Yat-sen University Aug/Sep 2016

Abstract

The 201 4 Umbrella Movement in Hong Kong has been the most important pro-democracy protest on Chinese soil since the rise and fall of the Tiananmen Movement of 1 989. Moreover, the 1 989 Beij ing Massacre has politicized a generation of pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong that has shaped Hong Kong's vibrant civil society. However, while this "Tiananmen generation" has been crucial for the preparation and initial stage of the Umbrella Movement, the actual occupation was dominated by a new generation that is almost exclusively concerned with local Hong Kong politics. In light of this background, this paper compares the two democracy movements. The external environment and the goals of the two movements are markedly different. However, our comparison demonstrates striking similarities between the two movements, e.g. their internal structure and framing. Moreover, what we see as the "mobilization of memory" reflects both the continued importance of civil society structures that have been shaped by the "Tiananmen veterans" as well as the on-going renegotiation of the SAR's relationship with the Mainland. Finally, these findings entail that the Chinese party-state will need to utilize different means to pacify the Umbrella Movement than what was done to placate democracy activists after the 1 989 crackdown.

Details

Title
The Mobilization of Memory and Tradition: Hong Kong's Umbrella Movement and Beijing's 1989 Tiananmen Movement
Author
Lagerkvist, Johan; Rühlig, Tim
Pages
735-774
Publication year
2016
Publication date
Aug/Sep 2016
Publisher
National Sun Yat-sen University
e-ISSN
24109681
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
1815408685
Copyright
Copyright National Sun Yat-sen University Aug/Sep 2016