A 'Leader-full' Movement Under Authoritarianism: Mobilization Networks in Hong Kong’s Anti-Extradition Movement

Lai, Eric

Abstract

Analysing Hong Kong’s 2019–2020 anti-extradition movement, this chapter suggests that despite the state’s attempts to disenfranchise it by capturing visible leaders, the movement evolved to be ‘leader-full’, or full of leaders. Traditional social movement organizations and pro-democracy lawmakers continued to mobilize resources but were no longer positioned as leaders. Local communities and individuals formed different mobilization networks to expand the movement’s scope and scale. Expressive protest actions and movement networks formed via social media made the anti-extradition movement more resilient in the face of state repression.

Citation

Lai, E. (2022). A 'Leader-full' Movement Under Authoritarianism: Mobilization Networks in Hong Kong’s Anti-Extradition Movement. In A. J. Spires, & A. Ogawa (Eds.), Authoritarianism and Civil Society in Asia (19-39). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003256809-3

• Publication Date: Jul 8, 2022
• Deposit Date: Aug 22, 2022
• Publicly Available Date: Aug 22, 2022
• Publisher: Routledge
• Pages: 19-39
• Series Title: Routledge Contemporary Asia Series
• Series ISSN: 2155-3009
• Book Title: Authoritarianism and Civil Society in Asia
• ISBN: 9781032188850
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003256809-3
• Publisher URL: https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003256809-3/leader-full-movement-authoritarianism-yan-ho-lai