Periscope

As more and more schools teach Chinese in Putonghua, teachers, parents and students tell Varsity whether they think it's a better way to learn.

The Occupy Movement was a large-scale civic awakening for Hong Kong young's people. In the post-Occupy era, they are seeking ways to preserve the spirit of the movement and spread the concept of democracy to local communities. Some of them consider joining the District Council elections later this year as a way to change the established system.

The success of small budget local films such as "Ten Years" and "Mad World" in recent years has led to talk of a possible revival of Hong Kong movies, led by a new generation of independent filmmakers. But is this just wishful thinking in an industry now dominated by Hong Kong-mainland co-productions?

What is national education? Is it teaching students how to salute and raise flags? Should it be producing proud Chinese nationals or critical citizens? Scholars, media representatives and students are concerned that the government's unequal funding may lead to the the dominance of pro-China, one-sided national education in Hong Kong.

A recent mass prayer gathering to oppose any consultation on legislation to outlaw discrimination against gays has sparked discussion about the participation of Hong Kong's evangelical Christians in politics and social affairs. It also highlighted the growing gulf between evangelical and liberal Christians on social issues such as gay rights and political reform. Are we witnessing the beginning of a culture war?

Hong Kong's Nepalese population has grown rapidly over the past two decades. Most Nepalis here are the children of former Gurkha soldiers who were responsible for Hong Kong's security during the colonial years. Many of ex-soldiers have retired to Nepal or moved to the UK, but their children have decided to make Hong Kong their home. Varsity learns about some of the problems they face.

December's Periscope looks at poverty in Hong Kong: Young and Poor: poor youth face uncertain future Working More for Less: Hong Kong's working poor struggle to...

When Taiwan's leading bookstore opened its first Hong Kong branch this summer, it became the place to see and be seen. The hype surrounding the bookshop led people to ask whether it could be a boost to Hong Kong's flagging reading culture.

A closer look at orientation camps, or o'camps in Hong Kong's Universities

Hong Kong is a city with a rich history and multiple identities. In this issue of Varsity we take a look at some of...