Reclaiming the Identity through Social Movement Participation

This is a study on the issue of “why a large group of youngsters participate in a new social movement, through which their collective identity is formed” in a recent movement in Hong Kong. During the movement, over ten thousand demonstrators, among which most were the youngsters with the slogan “post-80s youth”, opposed the building of an express rail link connecting with mainland China, and questioned a number of post-materialistic social problems. This research tells that, this is a group of youngsters with the strong quest of current issues and the initiatives to seek for alternative information beyond school education. Grown up in the post-industrial society, they find an alternative lifestyle in the rural community, which further leads them to have a reflection on the existing consumption-oriented social order. The post-80s activists choose to take a step forward to make their voice heard, through collective action. Although the post-80s activists seldom represent the whole population of Hong Kong youth, they become the vocal minorities, forming a powerful and fresh political force in Hong Kong society. This Hong Kong case echoes the new social movement theory and the youth social engagement vividly demonstrates the trend of post-materialistic identity driven action in contemporary developed regions. In-depth interview and participant observation are applied to have an investigation into this case.