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Epilogue

After Empire, After Brexit

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 October 2023

Vivian Kong
Affiliation:
University of Bristol
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Summary

On 1 July 1997, Britain transferred its sovereignty over Hong Kong to the People’s Republic of China. But even after British withdrawal from Hong Kong, its residents’ engagements with Britishness did not cease. This chapter explores Hong Kongers’ continued engagements with Britishness in the recent two decades. Drawing from findings of previous chapters, this chapter explains why, albeit the unfairness of colonial rule, rosy impressions of British colonialism linger, and Britishness continues to mean more than just a legal status in post-1997 Hong Kong. It also discusses the contemporary relevance of historic notions of Britishness beyond Hong Kong. What constitutes Britishness is still as much a debate today as it was in colonial Hong Kong. After empire, after Brexit, as Britain searches for a new world role, Britons also search for what it means to be British. Seeing how Britishness existed in multiple, varied forms in 1910–1945 Hong Kong, a colony where whiteness was supposed to matter most, help us unravel what it means to be British today.

Type
Chapter
Information
Multiracial Britishness
Global Networks in Hong Kong, 1910–45
, pp. 235 - 246
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2023

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  • Epilogue
  • Vivian Kong, University of Bristol
  • Book: Multiracial Britishness
  • Online publication: 19 October 2023
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009202930.008
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  • Epilogue
  • Vivian Kong, University of Bristol
  • Book: Multiracial Britishness
  • Online publication: 19 October 2023
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009202930.008
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Epilogue
  • Vivian Kong, University of Bristol
  • Book: Multiracial Britishness
  • Online publication: 19 October 2023
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009202930.008
Available formats
×