Work

Contesting Nationalism: Global Citizenship and Chinese Identity in Hong Kong

Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: ABSTRACT Global citizenship highlights that one's identity transcends national borders, whereas nationalism prioritises individuals' identification with a specific nation‐state. In the context of nation‐building, tension could arise between global citizenship and national identity. This study examines global citizenship and Chinese identity in Hong Kong, where global citizenship has been argued as a mental territory that extends beyond Chinese nationalism. Through a mixed‐methods design that combines latent class analysis, qualitative interviews and a survey experiment, this study reveals the rise of a cluster among young people characterised by strong global citizenship and Hong Kong identities but low Chinese identity between 2019 and 2021. The youth tend to view the global citizenship identity as incompatible with the Chinese identity because they perceive Chinese nationalism as parochial and even as xenophobic. The Hong Kong case elucidates how the perceived conflicts between globalism and nationalism undermine national identity.
Author: Shen Yang
Institution: Lingnan University
Language: English
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,750
OpenAlex ID: W7125156775
FWCI: 25.81
Cites: 40
Cited by: 2
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