From dual identities to the assertion of local identity: A review of identity development of Hong Kongers

This article examines the formation of a city-based local “Hong Konger” identity through a review of different social and historical studies that consider both socioeconomic and educational perspectives integrated with quantitative findings on Hong Kongers’ identity. By examining the relevant literature on social development and identity and the empirical findings on the intriguing development of local identity from the British colonial Hong Kong period (pre-1997) to the resumption of Chinese sovereignty since 1997, the article analyzes how the concept of dual identity to describe the identity of Hong Kongers has gradually become dichotomized into an antagonism between a city-based local Hong Kong identity and an officially engineered Chinese national identity. The article offers plausible reasons to account for this city-based local identity. The article concludes that antagonism between the local and national identities transforms our theoretical understanding beyond shared or negotiated identities and problematizes some contemporary stories of successful national identity formation. Further research could explore any generic or exemplary factors that affect contestation of identities around the world. Copyright © 2022 Common Ground Research Networks, All Rights Reserved.