New release: “Consultative politics” refined: The precarious development of civic engagement in post-colonial Hong Kong by Dr. Kay Lam Chi-yan

Since 2004, The Hong Kong SAR government has tried to enlarge its policy deliberation framework by conducting various forms of civic engagement, and the acknowledgement of civic engagement by the former Chief Executive Donald Tsang in 2007 has further advanced and refined it as one of the major consultation strategies.  Nonetheless, by reviewing the evolvement of the consultation system and the various forms of the exercises in the past decade, it is argued that civic engagement is yet to be fully institutionalised by various policy bureaux, and the government is not inclined to engage the exercises across different policy areas, owing to its bureaucratic dominance, the lack of clear & updated mechanism, and the increased uncertainties of engagement as ad hoc groups and opinion leaders emerged.  

The article is introduced in Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Hong Kong, edited by Tai-lok Lui, Stephen W.K. Chiu and Ray Yep.  The Handbook provides a thorough introduction to social, economic and political developments in Hong Kong today.  It focuses on the process of transition from a British colony to Special Administrative Region under China’s sovereign rule.  The Handbook covered six sections, and the article of Dr. Kay Lam is introduced in the theme of ‘Governing post-colonial Hong Kong’.

About the Author

Dr. Kay Lam Chi-yan obtained her Ph.D from the University of Hong Kong and is Researcher of Hong Kong Policy Research Institute, specializes in the field of politics and governance.  Her research interests include Hong Kong-China relations, political institutions, intra-party democracy and cultural politics.  She is the key author of several research reports published under the Hong Kong Vision Project in Hong Kong Policy Research Institute, including ‘One Country, Two Systems in Practice – Reviews, Analysis and Proposals’, ‘Cultivate Political Talents, Develop a Cabinet System – Review of the Principle Officials Accountability System and the Executive Council’ and ‘Strengthen Deliberation, Rebuild Trust – Improve the Systems of Advisory Committee and Public Engagement’.  Part of the empirical data in this article is derived from the last report.