Explaining spontaneous occupation: antecedents, contingencies and spaces in the Umbrella Movement

This paper examines the antecedent and contingent causes sparking the Umbrella Movement in Hong Kong. Spurred by two contingent events generating pre-emptive and backlash mobilization, the movement is a spontaneous transformation of the staged Occupy Central campaign. Based on an onsite survey (n = ...

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Published inSocial movement studies Vol. 16; no. 2; pp. 222 - 239
Main Authors Cheng, Edmund W., Chan, Wai-Yin
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Abingdon Routledge 04.03.2017
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Subjects
Activism
Ecology
Hong Kong
Mass media effects
Mobilization
occupy
public space
Social media
social movement
Social networks
Spontaneity
Umbrella Movement
Hong Kong
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Summary:This paper examines the antecedent and contingent causes sparking the Umbrella Movement in Hong Kong. Spurred by two contingent events generating pre-emptive and backlash mobilization, the movement is a spontaneous transformation of the staged Occupy Central campaign. Based on an onsite survey (n = 1681) and in-depth interviews (n = 18), this paper demonstrates how protest experience and social media networked and rallied autonomous individuals from diverse backgrounds to occupy the physical spaces, thereby sustaining a self-mobilized, horizontal and resilient movement. Spontaneity, however, did not come out of nowhere. As an integral part of Hong Kong's bottom-up activism and ecology, this spontaneous episode encapsulates antecedent events diffusing stalwart actors, decentralized organization and transgressive repertories. This paper situates spontaneity in temporal, spatial and emotional contexts to understand the uncompromising claims and participatory practices of the spectacular occupation.
ISSN:1474-2837
1474-2829
DOI:10.1080/14742837.2016.1252667