This lecture argues that the current situation in Hong Kong represents a period of abeyance in the democracy movement, rather than its conclusion. A central concern under an increasingly repressive regime is how individuals maintain their convictions and sustain hope. Exemplary moral figures, support networks, and mutual care among protesters have together formed a web of moral resilience that helps counter the risk of demoralization. The lecture begins by examining individuals who have transformed the courtroom into a stage of resistance, highlighting how their actions contribute to preserving the moral integrity of the movement. It then explores the material and emotional support offered by families, friends, active citizens, and civil society organizations to human rights defendants. The second part considers how spaces for solidarity continue to exist within Hong Kong, enabling democracy supporters to connect and maintain a shared sense of purpose. It also discusses the emergence of diaspora support networks in Taiwan and U.K. that provide both material and psychological assistance to protesters in exile. Taken together, these practices have nurtured a “community of suffering” that sustains democratic values and keeps the struggle alive.
Kin-man Chan earned his Ph.D. from Yale University and holds the position of visiting research fellow at Institute of Sociology, Academia Sinica, Taiwan and President of Taiwan Society for Hong Kong Studies. Prior to relocating to Taiwan, Dr. Chan served as an Associate Professor of Sociology, Director of the University’s Service Center for China Studies and Director of the Centre for Civil Society Studies at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. His scholarly pursuits center around civil society, social movements, and democratic development within Chinese societies. He is the author/co-author of nine Chinese books, notable among them are The Last Lecture, Suffering and Resistance: Kin-man Chan’s Letters from Prison, Towards Civil Society, and The Difficult Transition: Modernization and Chinese Society. Dr. Chan remains deeply dedicated to the democracy movement in Hong Kong and was recognized as one of the "Occupy Trio" by the media. He endured a 16-month prison sentence for his active participation in the 2014 Umbrella Movement.
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- DATE: Wednesday, 3rd June, 2026
- TIME: 18:30-20:00
- LOCATION: SIN 1, Department for East Asian Studies/Chinese Studies, Altes AKH, Campus, Spitalgasse 2, Yard 2, Entrance 2.3
