Political Activism, Citizenship Norms and Civic Trust Among Hong Kong Youth: Participatory Citizenship or Political Disillusionment?

While some scholars view young people as drivers toward engaged conceptions of citizenship, others are concerned about an erosion of participatory citizenship among youth populations. In Hong Kong, young people were at the forefront of demonstrations against an extradition law amendment bill that had quickly turned into anti-government protests in 2019/20. Since then, the political landscape in the city has changed dramatically, with limited space for political opposition. Large demonstrations were common in Hong Kong before a national security legislation was implemented in 2020. Since then, opposition voices have become relatively quiet, and electoral reforms have further contributed to this development. These changes beg the question of whether young people’s conceptions of being a ‘good citizen’ have also changed and how these conceptions are related to their views of government and trust in civic institutions. This paper analyzes longitudinal data on university students’ perceptions of citizenship norms collected over a four-year period. Highly educated local youth were particularly active in the protests of 2019. Therefore, an analysis of longitudinal data from undergraduate students is particularly insightful. In 2019, more than 1,000 first-year students from local universities completed an online survey before the mass protests against the extradition bill started. In each of the following three years, about half of these students were repeatedly surveyed. Respondents indicated their views on ‘good citizenship’ and self-reported actual and intended political participation. They also reported their satisfaction with the Hong Kong government and how much they trust politicians and civic institutions in Hong Kong. Statistical analyses were conducted at the item level and using latent variable models. The analyses reveal that dutiful norms had dropped significantly in 2022. For example, students’ belief that good citizens should vote in every election was relatively high until 2021 but declined dramatically in 2022 (after major reforms to the electoral system and constituencies). Students also found it more important to respect government officials in 2019 than in subsequent years. Similarly, support for norms of engaged citizenship (e.g., discussing political issues, protesting peacefully against unjust laws, or engaging in activities promoting human rights) was at its highest level in 2020 but has declined since. Trust in politicians has also declined. Latent variable models linking citizenship norms to civic trust and political satisfaction provide further indication of an ongoing process resulting in young people’s political disillusionment and subsequent political disengagement. The findings provide valuable insights into the political mind of highly educated young people in Hong Kong. They show how young people who are critical of government policies engage in protest activities and how postmodern citizenship beliefs erode and potentially lead to political apathy when participation remains unsuccessful. These insights are discussed with respect to the potential causes of politicization and depoliticization, the recent political developments in Hong Kong, and their broader implications for ‘good citizenship’ in democratic societies.