Democracy Movement and Alternative Knowledge in Hong Kong
AbstractThis chapter’s author discusses the role of social movement in producing alternative knowledge based on the case of the Umbrella Movement of Hong Kong. This set of knowledge includes at least the definition of a problematic situation, the problem’s causes, and possible solutions. It is alternative/counter knowledge because it involves the unlearning of dominant discourses and the learning of counter-discourses. This learning is particularly intense when people are involved in social actions. Social movements as “repertoires of knowledge practices,” as suggested by della Porta and Pavan, foster the coordination of disconnected personal experiences and rationalities within a shared cognitive system to provide a common orientation for making claims and producing change. In this chapter, the author analyzes the mobilization period (March 2013–September 2014) of the Umbrella Movement to demonstrate how the movement affected public agenda setting, interpretation of law, and formulation of reform proposal.