Second and third generation South and Southeast Asian minorities in Hong Kong, being marginalized from mainstream social and political affairs, have developed an ambivalent sense of belonging to their host society. Unlike their forefathers who first settled in Hong Kong under British colonial rule, these younger generations have spent their formative years in the territory. As such, they have increasingly engaged in the public and political realms of society, partly in response to the territory’s rapid political changes. Leung discusses and analyses the complex and diverse engagement of migrant and minority youths in Hong Kong - and their struggle for recognition, while desiring to 'be-long' to a place they call home. Some are joining the calls for democratic changes in the territory. In particular, she argues that much of this struggle can be seen in minorities’ involvement in creative sectors of society.  

 

People of South Asian descent are a large, varied and increasingly visible part of Hong Kong’s population. Most have found ways of prospering despite social and economic obstacles and widespread discrimination. Focusing on three important groups—Indians, Pakistanis, and Nepalese—Erni and Leung explore the cultural histories of South Asians in Hong Kong and their experiences at school and at work.