Teaching region-specific political science courses: Hong Kong as a case study

The framing of area-specific courses in political science education is always tricky due to the need to cater to both local and international students. Some students may be discouraged by barriers such as unfamiliarity with the region’s language and history, while others might focus solely on politics within their own region. Below are some of the strategies we have adopted in two Hong Kong-specific courses.

Use of major theories and leading questions

In our Hong Kong politics class, we highlight a major question relevant to each lecture topic to prompt students to analyse the underlying principles and dynamics that shape political behaviours, structures and outcomes in Hong Kong. The teaching team hopes to use overarching and debatable questions to allow students to think critically, engage actively with the material and focus their learning on key issues and debates within Hong Kong politics. This way, students are guided to uncover hidden connections, analyse contradictions and form nuanced perspectives. For example, in one session, we invite students to discuss the role of the civil service in Hong Kong’s political system and its accountability to the public.

Incorporation of comparative theories

Students unfamiliar with the region of study can easily pick up and grasp the key ideas behind it if they are familiar with general theories in the field of comparative politics. This knowledge facilitates a theoretically grounded analysis and can amplify the impact of the study well beyond a single case. If Hong Kong supports an established theory, it can serve as evidence in broader political science literature. If it challenges the theory, it offers a basis for revision, which is a crucial element for pushing the field forward. For example, in a class on the chief executive of Hong Kong and the Executive Council, we introduce the ideas of presidential and parliamentary government commonly discussed in the scholarship and invite students to think about how applicable these ideas are in helping them to analyse Hong Kong’s unique executive-led political system and dynamics.

Facilitation of cross-case comparisons

I, along with other teaching staff, encourage students to compare a compulsory case with another foreign and politically distinct one of their choice. This encourages local students to learn about foreign practices and international students to share insights from their own regions. It can enrich discussions and build connections between local and international students.

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Review of relevant Wikipedia entries

Wikipedia provides a vast repository of information that can offer students quick access to key concepts, events and figures related to Hong Kong politics. This can be particularly useful for students looking to grasp foundational knowledge quickly. Since Wikipedia entries are regularly updated to reflect the latest developments, students have access to real-time information on current Hong Kong-related issues. The extensive citations and references included in these entries allow students to conduct further in-depth research by themselves.

Invitation of guest speakers

We have invited speakers representing different perspectives, ideologies and experiences in Hong Kong, including current and former bureaucrats, government officials and policy actors. Guest speakers provide first-hand insights that complement the theoretical knowledge presented in our public administration in Hong Kong course. They bring the learning material to life and spark meaningful in-class discussions. To ensure these interactions are valuable, we align the speakers’ expertise with the weekly course content and overarching learning objectives.

Discussion and review of research projects

In both Hong Kong courses, we run weekly group discussions on published and ongoing work by faculty members, graduate students and collaborators at other institutions. This allows students to stay informed about current trends, emerging issues and new perspectives within the discipline. Students can also understand how others use theoretical concepts and frameworks to analyse real-life political phenomena, which can bridge the gap between theory and practice. Furthermore, students can learn to critically analyse methodologies, data sources and findings about Hong Kong politics.

Case memo writing and presentation

In our public administration in Hong Kong course, each student must produce two short case memos on the assigned weekly topics related to Hong Kong politics. The teaching team invites them to discuss a particular case that exemplifies a significant issue related to the topic, and students must propose a meaningful question that leads to an analysis that will illustrate some critical aspects of the relevant theoretical debates. 

Students have around four days to finish up the memo, and we invite three or four students to present theirs in the next class. The rest of the students ask questions and/or share comments on the memos via a Google Form during the lecture. We then screen the responses and select the most illustrative ones to discuss.

These are just a selection of the strategies we use to cater to the backgrounds and expectations of both local and international students.

Adrian Man-Ho Lam is a course tutor in the department of politics and public administration at the University of Hong Kong.

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