Using public space to overcome vulnerabilities : a study of Chinese migrants living in sub-divided units in Hong Kong

Abstract

Third places, such as urban parks and shopping centres, play a crucial role in the daily life of residents by providing spaces for leisure and social interactions. While previous studies reveal that those who live under overcrowded conditions often visit third places, few studies have explored how third places help vulnerable populations overcome their everyday challenges. This study seeks to investigate how new-migrants in Hong Kong, who live on the margin and reside in sub-divided units, mitigate their vulnerabilities by visiting a variety of third places. Despite Hong Kong being an affluent society, its high-density population still suffers from a housing shortage. Sub-divided units are commonly used to alleviate this shortage. Among the residents living in sub-divided units, Chinese migrants in Hong Kong, often referred to as ‘new-migrants,’ are one major group. The overcrowded living space of sub-divided units presents challenges to new-migrants’ quality of life. They suffer from heat stress, low income, weak social networks, and identity as latecomers. However, few studies have examined the impacts of sub-divided units on new-migrants and how these new-migrants overcome their vulnerabilities through visiting third places. Semi-structured interviews and Q-methodology were conducted to address this knowledge gap. This study involved 28 new-migrants who lived in sub-divided units and explored the following aspects: 1. Their perceptions of sub-divided units and third places in Hong Kong. 2. Their activities in various third places and the factors that affect their activities in these third places. 3. How these activities help mitigate their vulnerabilities and the meanings these new-migrants attach to the third places. The analysis suggests that new-migrants living in sub-divided units have three perspectives on their vulnerabilities and the third places: ‘spatial pragmatism,’ ‘adapted optimism,’ and ‘social withdrawal.’ New-migrants respond to their situations by visiting the third places and have expressed both positive and negative sentiments towards their homes and third places. Depending on their needs, new-migrants mainly visit five forms of third places: green spaces, community centres, commercial spaces, churches, and corridors. In these spaces, they are able to create a social space, a leisure space, a personal space, and, more importantly, a living space, which provides an alternative to their spatially constrained sub-divided units. The findings of this research offer insights on how high-density housing residents make uses of third places in Asian developed cities. This study contributes to the literature by deepening the understanding of diverse third places and their creation of new space. It also documents the negative impacts of sub-divided units on new-migrants. The findings will be valuable for public policymakers to formulate a socially inclusive housing strategy that accounts for new-migrants and tenants of sub-divided units.