Periscope

It seems that more and more young people in Hong Kong are taking an active interest in social and political issues in Hong Kong,...

After years of being seen as politically apathetic, increasing numbers of Hong Kong's young people are participating in social movements and doing so at a younger age than in the past. Some have suggested this could be partly due to the introduction of Liberal Studies as a compulsory school subject in 2009. Varsity asks students and teachers what they make of the suggestion and talks to the critics who claim the subject is too political and too biased.

Over the summer, groups of younger alumni from some of Hong Kong's top schools launched high-profile, and successful, campaigns to prevent their alma maters from joining the Direct Subsidy Scheme. Add these to the many alumni concern groups that formed to oppose the government's proposal to mandate compulsory national education last year - and it seems we are witnessing the emergence of a new alumni movement. And as Varsity discovers, these groups are very different to traditional alumni associations.

Hong Kong's young people may be getting more involved in politics and social movements but contrary to common perceptions, they are not all radical or pan-democratic. In fact, some of them are proud to call themselves pro-establishment and conservative although as Varsity discovers, they are not afraid to adopt to learn from some of the more outspoken ways of their pan-democratic counterparts.

A recent survey by The Economist named Hong Kong as the most "liveable" city in the world. The S.A.R. also came in tenth in a...

Hong Kong consistently tops lists of the world's most expensive city for accommodation. The cost of land and property fuels rising rents, and prices for goods and services and despite various market-cooling measures rolled out by the government, many people remain priced out of the market.

There is no doubt we have a problem with the air we breathe. Hong Kong's dirty air is costing the territory billions of dollars and driving away professional talent. The government has vowed to tackle roadside pollution by phasing out the most polluting vehicles. But maritime pollution is an even bigger culprit when it comes to some of the major pollutants in the air. As Varsity learns, even shipowners are urging the administration to take tougher action.

It can be tough being a kindergarten kid in Hong Kong. First, there is the endless round of extra-curricular interest classes, then the exhausting round of interviews for a primary school place. In the race to make sure their children get the best start in life, parents are putting themselves and their children under increasing pressure to get ahead.

As our society becomes more fractious and divided we ask whether the culture war has arrived in Hong Kong. In the United States, the...

Tensions between Hong Kongers and mainlanders continue to grab the headlines, one of the more recent flashpoints being the shortage of infant formula and the restriction of the amount of milk powder visitors can take out of the city. But there is another simmering conflict. Hong Kongers themselves are increasingly polarised between those, such as the Hong Kong Autonomy Movement who identify with an emerging local consciousness, and nationalists who put their Chinese identity first.