HKU Bulletin October 2015 (Vol. 17 No.1)

The University of Hong Kong Bulletin www.hku.hk/publications/bulletin.html Published by the University of Hong Kong The Bulletin magazine reports on activities, events and research initiated by members of the University. It aims to keep the local and international communities informed of new breakthroughs and achievements in all of our faculties and disciplines. Editorial Team Chief Editor: Katherine Ma, Director of Communications Managing Editor: Shirley Yeung, Publications Manager Assistant Editor: Yu Nga-wing Writers: Kelvin Au, Teri Fitsell, Kathy Griffin Design and production: oneZEBRA Limited Contribution and Feedback With special thanks to staff and students who kindly contributed their time and their photographs to the Bulletin . We welcome contributions of content for publication. Items should include the author’s name and University contact details. Please direct contributions, comments or suggestions to the Communications and Public Affairs Office at bulletin@hku.hk for consideration. Care for the Environment While our publication is printed on environmentally friendly paper, we urge you to share your copy with friends and colleagues, and help reduce our carbon footprint. Alternatively, you may choose to unsubscribe at bulletin@hku.hk, and read the Bulletin online at www.hku.hk/publications/bulletin.html Occupy Central gave rise to new questions about identity – who is a Hongkonger and what is multiculturalism? Dr Liz Jackson Dr Liz Jackson regards the two significant social movements in Hong Kong – the debate about national education in 2012 and the Umbrella Movement in 2014 (shown above) – have given rise to new angles about identity and multiculturalism. Muslims and Islam in US Education: Reconsidering Multiculturalism is published by Routledge. Early Career Scheme to examine the representation of ethnicity, religion and minorities in Liberal Studies curriculum. “I was surprised to find that when and if Islam was discussed, the emphasis always seemed to be on Islam and terrorism. There is a conflict here – if a goal in Liberal Studies is to increase understanding of diverse viewpoints, such exclusively negative connotations do not address that aim. This focus raises questions about whether the curriculum is mirroring the values that we as a society want to promote.” This became very pertinent in 2012 when the debate about national education was raging, as Dr Jackson observes that Liberal Studies aims to develop cultural alignment of students with China without regard to the belonging of ethnic minorities in society. “Occupy Central too, gave rise to new questions about identity – who is a Hongkonger and what is multiculturalism?” Liberal Studies was again under fire, and various political figures in Hong Kong sought out Dr Jackson’s advice regarding how to reform Liberal Studies to be inclusive, balanced and informative. In both the book and this latest research, Dr Jackson argues that while challenging stereotypes perpetuated by the media and encouraging dialogue and understanding are essential, it is difficult without proper educational materials and instructors who can facilitate this learning. She calls for the creation of learning environments that facilitate critical media literacy and enhanced opportunities to practise democratic dialogue. Asked about the book’s implications for Hong Kong, Dr Jackson talks about changing awareness within the city. “I used to have to explain my specialist area – two years ago, people would ask me: ‘Why does Islam matter?’ or ‘Why would I want to know about Islam?’. Now they say: ‘Tell me what’s going on in Islam – I want to know.’” A few years ago she used to joke that her next book would be ‘Islam in Hong Kong’. Today this idea is taking shape. Dr Jackson will be sharing her book in Europe over the next year, when she will be taking her sabbatical as a visiting scholar at the University of Glasgow. A review symposium of the book is forthcoming this fall with the journal Educational Philosophy and Theory . The University of Hong Kong Bulletin | October 2015