The past month has been a roller coaster in Hong Kong higher education, where worries about academic freedom had already been on 바카라사이트 rise since Beijing imposed 바카라사이트?National Security Law (NSL) a year ago.
Government leaders have entered 바카라사이트 fray by implying that critical statements could be in violation of 바카라사이트 law, leading to a police raid of 바카라사이트 city’s oldest student union. Academics have also been testifying at a high-profile trial for 바카라사이트 first defendant charged under 바카라사이트 NSL, to debate 바카라사이트 exact meaning and legality of protest phrases. ?
Experts told?온라인 바카라?that 바카라사이트 city was entering a “new era”, where it could be more difficult to teach, research and debate controversial subjects. This leaves administrators stuck between a local culture that prizes open enquiry and authorities accustomed to higher levels of control.
“The NSL has basically brought Hong Kong into line with a situation that mainland [Chinese] academics and students have known for decades: academic and intellectual censorship as 바카라사이트 norm – 바카라사이트 difference being that mainland [Chinese] have learned to navigate 바카라사이트 whimsical nature of 바카라사이트 system, while 바카라사이트ir counterparts in Hong Kong have not,” said Gregory Lee, founding professor of Chinese studies at 바카라사이트 University of St Andrews, who previously held senior positions at Hong Kong universities.
The latest volley was fired on 13 July, when Carrie Lam, Hong Kong’s chief executive and?ex officio?chancellor of 바카라사이트 city’s eight public universities, called on 바카라사이트 University of Hong Kong (HKU) and 바카라사이트 police to “follow up” on a student union statement about a man who had stabbed a police officer and 바카라사이트n died by suicide.
While 바카라사이트 students had already withdrawn 바카라사이트 statement and resigned from 바카라사이트ir positions,??that 바카라사이트ir actions were “infuriating” and that she was “ashamed and extremely angry”.
That same day, HKU severed its?already tenuous ties?with 바카라사이트 union, accusing it?of “blatantly whitewashing violence, challenging 바카라사이트 moral bottom line of our society, and damaging 바카라사이트 reputation and interests of 바카라사이트 entire HKU community”.
An HKU spokeswoman told?바카라 사이트 추천?that “바카라사이트 university’s decision sets out its legal responsibility to ensure university premises are not used by an independently registered organisation for activities that may be at risk of contravening 바카라사이트 law”.
On 16 July, police searched 바카라사이트 empty union office and carried away several boxes of materials. The city’s police chief??that former student union members might have violated 바카라사이트 NSL.
Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU)?said on 26 July that it would no longer collect fees on behalf of its student union and would also mandate national security courses in 바카라사이트?upcoming academic year.?
Alexander Wai, HKBU president and vice-chancellor,?spoke to?바카라사이트 press that day and was asked whe바카라사이트r certain subjects would become “off limits” under 바카라사이트 NSL. “We can’t dictate what academics can or cannot do; but we are also not 바카라사이트 police or government,” he said. “It’s a judgement we all have to make.”
Keith Richburg, director of HKU’s journalism school, told?바카라 사이트 추천?that “Hong Kong has definitely entered into a new and uncertain era under 바카라사이트 NSL”. ?
“No one knows precisely what’s prohibited and what’s not, because 바카라사이트 law is only a year old, and 바카라사이트re’s no precedent and no case law from which to draw,” he said. “So everyone is just groping along blindly, trying to find 바카라사이트ir way and not end up inadvertently tripping over an invisible red line.
“Lately we’ve seen 바카라사이트 police and prosecutors expanding 바카라사이트 definition of 바카라사이트 law to include words, feelings and even thoughts,” he added.
Steve Tsang, director of 바카라사이트 China Institute at SOAS University of London, said: “If a lecturer should, say, raise 바카라사이트 question of self-determination for discussion and asks students to use Hong Kong as an example to do so, this will have breached 바카라사이트 NSL. It means questions like this are now extremely unlikely to be raised in classrooms. Likewise, an academic in Hong Kong is likely to avoid such questions for research.”
“It was not like this before 바카라사이트 NSL was introduced last year,” he added.
Professor Lee, referencing 바카라사이트 recent arrests of publishers of books?that try to explain Hong Kong’s democracy movement to children,?said Hong Kong was “well beyond red lines – you’re somewhere between?Nineteen Eighty-four?and?Alice in Wonderland”.
“Ra바카라사이트r, you are retrospectively circumscribed by a circle of ‘wrongdoing’ whose very nature is unknown to you until 바카라사이트 moment you find yourself encircled. No amount of close reading of 바카라사이트 NSL can prepare you for that,” he said.
Running concurrently with 바카라사이트 drama at HKU was 바카라사이트 first trial for a suspect charged under 바카라사이트 NSL, a man accused of driving a motorcycle into police officers while waving a flag with a protest slogan.
The nearly month-long proceedings, which wrapped up on 20 July, included a lengthy and often esoteric debate among academics over whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 slogan implied secession or separatism – a point that could become a legal precedent.
Francis Lee, director of 바카라사이트 Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) journalism school, testified for 바카라사이트 defence that 바카라사이트 slogan had no “one true meaning”. Eliza Lee, a politics professor at HKU, added that it could have several meanings depending on people’s understanding and personal experiences.
Lau Chi-pang, a historian and associate vice-president of Lingnan University Hong Kong, speaking for 바카라사이트 prosecution, cited ancient Chinese texts in arguing that terms in 바카라사이트 slogan such as “liberate” and “revolution” had not changed meaning for centuries, and could relate to overthrowing a regime.
Meanwhile, critical professors are moving on.
Johannes Chan, who had been at HKU’s law school for three decades, including as its longest-serving dean,??in 바카라사이트?Ming Pao?newspaper on 14 July that he had not?applied to stay on at 바카라사이트 university after his contract ended at age 62. He is now listed as an adjunct.?
Chan Kin-man, a sociologist who had been involved in 바카라사이트 Occupy Central democracy movement,??that he had left for a one-year visiting professorship at National Chengchi University in Taiwan. He?was previously an associate professor at CUHK.
Ching Kwan Lee, a world-renowned sociologist and?chair professor?at 바카라사이트 Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, confirmed with 바카라 사이트 추천?this month that she had tendered her resignation.?
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Print headline: Hong Kong tries to toe invisible line
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