Abstract
Drawing from dual attachment theory, this study utilizes newly released survey data to investigate issues regarding the national identity in Hong Kong and Macau that are governed under the “one country, two systems” principle. In both cities, we found a strong affinity for the local identity among the young generations, and a more balanced coexistence of both the local and the Chinese identities for the elder generations; there was a rejection of the Chinese identity for the young generation in Hong Kong. We argue that both civic and cultural elements are influential factors in shaping an individual’s identity, and that there is evidence of a complementing dual attachment; however, the complementary relationship becomes incompatible if generational differences are considered, suggesting that the dual attachment framework does not sufficiently address the issue of national identity for the young generation in Hong Kong.
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Tianji Cai
Tianji Cai is an associate professor of sociology at University of Macau. His research focuses on quantitative research methods, especially the issues of sampling weights in multilevel and longitudinal models. In addition, he is also interested in integrating genetics and sociology in the studies of social and health behaviors.
Ruoyang Tang
Ruoyang Tang is a PhD candidate in department of Sociology at University of Macau. Her work focuses specifically on drug trafficking patterns in China. Her research interests are social work, criminology and social problems in China.
Hongyu Wang
Hongyu Wang is an associate professor in the Sociology Department, University of Macau. Her research interests include the study of associational participation, social networking use and political participation in contemporary China.
Spencer De Li
Spencer D. Li is a professor in the Department of Sociology at University of Macau. His research interests include sociology of religion, child development, criminology, and survey research. Dr. Li has served as principal investigator on many publicly and privately funded projects related to adolescent development, religion, substance abuse and criminal justice, including grants from the U.S. National Institutes of Health, U.S. Administration for Children and Families, and Social Welfare Bureau of Macao Special Administrative Region Government. His publications have appeared in many leading academic journals, including Journal of Early Adolescence, Evaluation Review, Criminology, Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, Justice Quarterly, and Journal of Youth and Adolescence.