Citizenship as perceived in the social media during the civil disobedience movement

Abstract

Before the happening of Umbrella Movement, a civil disobedience movement in September 2014, political engagement of Hongkongers was not in a high priority. With the emphasis on economic prosperity and materialistic life, most of Hong Kong people seldom take risk to strike for political rights through unlawful action. However, in this occupying movement, over 10,000 participants occupied the road and protested for more participation in Chief Executive Election 2017. After the start of Umbrella movement, social media become the most vital communication tool that speeded information and provided a platform for citizen to discuss their viewpoints towards this social movement. With the fast pace of information flow, political discourse in social media with various aims, use of language and structure become influential factors on shaping the online citizenship. Although citizenship is an abstract concept, nurturing ‘good citizen’ is necessary to build up a civic society with democracy system. In this study, we are going to examine the pattern of various citizenship in social media and understand the formation of those citizenship concepts, therefore we can take advantages of motivate the citizen towards the solution of conflicts and maximize the social good.