Performing a New Community: The Symbolic Challenge of Hong Kong's Anti-Extradition Movement

As the city's largest incident of protest, the anti-extradition movement has been thoroughly examined through the theoretical lens of contentious politics, whereas its symbolic dimension received less attention. This seminar will look at the discursive, dramaturgical, musical, visual interventions that accompanied street protests. Using the concept of performative, Professor Ho will discuss how a plethora of anonymous participants collectively present a powerful vision of an awakened community. This presentation is based on a forthcoming book titled Be Water: Collective Improvisation in Hong Kong’s Anti-Extradition Protests.

About the Speaker
Ming-sho Ho is a professor in the Department of Sociology, National Taiwan University. He studies social movements, labor, and environmental issues. He published Working Class Formation in Taiwan: Fractured Solidarity in State-Owned Enterprises (2014) and Challenging Beijing’s Mandate of Heaven: Taiwan’s Sunflower Movement and Hong Kong’s Umbrella Movement (2019).