| In a society where liberalist ideology prevails, is it possible to develop some counterliberalist practices and orientations? This study provides a positive answer to this question by examining the citizenship practice of the so-called "post-80" activists, who received widespread attention during the "Anti-Express Rail Link" movement in 2009 and 2010.;This research uses the "post-80" activists as an empirical lens into the latest dynamics of citizenship development in Hong Kong. It understands citizenship as a process of ongoing practice by citizens, rather than as a static legal status of membership in a particular political community.;Citizenship practice of the young activists in the anti-XRL movement is studied. The first conclusion here is that, through their practice, the young activists demonstrate the emergence of a "democratic citizenship"---a strong communitarian version of citizenship that emphasizes citizens' identification with the political community, their strong sense of obligation to fight for the collective good of the community, and their active participation. Secondly, it finds that the notion of "political community" in this "democratic citizenship" is unconstrained by the "nation-state" so central to the conventional liberalist tradition. The boundary of the political community has different dimensions, depending on the specific practice of citizens at different sites. From this practice, citizens generate a sense of identification, and construct the legitimacy and authority of a particular political community.;The citizenship perception of the young activists also reveals a communitarian inclination. First, their illustration on citizenship rights have conveyed such a perspective that rights are gained, extended and maintained by citizens' contestation, rather than state's entitlement. Second, what truly stimulates their participation is the total awakening of their identity as authentic and decent citizens of Hong Kong; of their obligation to change a political structure that in their eyes lacks legitimacy; and also of their obligation to encourage other citizens to join them in actively constructing a new political order and way of life. Third, they have constructed, through their practices, an alternative political community to the existing one in the quasi-city state. Within such community, they emphasize the intimate emotional ties and a mutual responsibility between individual citizens as well as between the community and its citizens. They also emphasize individual citizen's active engagement and constructive contribution to the community, and also the protection and safeguard of individual citizen's value and dignity by the community. To construct such a community, democracy to them, is just a basic instrument, rather than the ultimate aim.;Finally, the practices and orientations of the "post-80" young activists in Hong Kong are argued to suggest an alternative conceptualization of citizenship: a community-identity-driven and action-constitutive form of citizenship, which emphasizes the practices, identities, and locations of political engagement for the common good in light of the vision of a good society. |
