Periscope

More and more young people in Hong Kong are freelancing or starting their own businesses rather than working for a company. But the freedom of doing what you love for a living and being your own boss comes with its own set of pitfalls.

Some young Hongkongers have drastically different ideas of what a family is, compared to their parents -- from open relationships and having children to treating their friends as family. A Varsity survey finds Hong Kong's political woes have put some youngsters off from having children.

With its skyscrapers and dense urban neighbourhoods, Hong Kong can seem claustrophobic at times - the only places people can gather to spend their leisure time or socialise tend to either require consumption or are overly restrictive. In this issue of Periscope, Varsity takes a look at how we conceive of and use public space in our city.

During last year’s Occupy movement, the “reclamation” of Civic Square and the tents, study areas, libraries and art in the occupied sites of Admiralty, Mong Kok and Causeway Bay showed how collective actions could take place within public spaces. While the government tightens restrictions on the use of public space, it seems the public is awakened to the idea of public space as a place to express ideas.

A policy to integrate public spaces into private developments was first introduced in the 1980s in order to improve urban land use. But some privately owned public spaces are not user-friendly at all. Varsity visited some open spaces in heritage buildings and a private residential estate to take a look at some of the issues and problems.

The government is proposing to tighten laws on street obstruction, but critics of the plan say the authorities should accommodate local features. Varsity visits black spots for street obstruction at Mong Kok’s flower market, Temple Street and Tai Ping Shan Street.

The 79 day occupation of sites in Admiralty, Mong Kok and Causeway Bay ended without protesters winning any concessions from the government on their...

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.

Some local stars, notably singers Denise Ho and Anthony Wong took a high profile stance in support of the Umbrella Movement. Varsity looks at the price celebrities may have to pay by supporting political causes, not just in Hong Kong but in the increasingly lucrative mainland market.

With stable jobs and incomes, professionals tend to keep quiet when it comes to politics. But in recent years, more professionals have been willing to speak out to safeguard the city’s core values. Some pan-democratic professionals have set up new platforms to gather like-minded peers to advocate for democracy within their sectors.