Hong Kong studies society to dissolve over funding shortfall
HKFP · 1 SOURCES1 day ago2 MIN
Summary
The Society for Hong Kong Studies announced in an email to members on Wednesday that it will dissolve and cease operations on October 31 after nine years, citing a lack of funding. Founded by 250 scholars in 21 countries, the locally based academic community has served as a global platform for research on Hong Kong and is an official affiliate of the Association for Asian Studies. Since 2017, it has organised annual conferences, workshops, seminars and public lectures covering Hong Kong's history, literature, film, media, popular culture and politics, while also publishing research and working with related initiatives worldwide. Responding to a Ming Pao political column that linked the closure to venue difficulties at local universities, Society chair John Carroll said the decision was purely due to funding and that the group received no university financial support
Key Points
- The Society for Hong Kong Studies told members on Wednesday it would cease operations on October 31 because of a “lack of funding.”
- The non-profit was founded by 250 scholars across 21 countries and positioned itself as a global platform for Hong Kong studies
- As an affiliate of the Association for Asian Studies, it has held annual conferences, workshops, seminars and public lectures since 2017
- Topics covered by its events included Hong Kong history, literature, films, media, pop culture and politics, alongside research publishing and overseas collaboration
- Executive board members include HKU historian John Carroll and CUHK professor Francis Lee, while Carroll said closure was purely financial
Why It Matters
The closure removes one of the city's organised platforms linking Hong Kong-based and overseas scholars working on the study of Hong Kong. It also comes at a time when more than 60 organisations, including unions, churches, media groups and political parties, had disbanded in Hong Kong as of February following the 2020 national security law