Abstract
Since 1 July l997 Hong Kong has become a Special Administrative Region under the Peoples Republic of China. There is a difference in the interpretation of human rights between East and West. Even before the change of sovereignty human rights education was not an important element in the Hong Kong school curricula. The hidden curriculum is not supportive of human rights education either. During the United Nation Decade for Human Rights Education (1995–2005), Hong Kong people are torn between the dichotomy of liberalism-communitarianism over human rights. This paper examines the attitude about human rights of the Hong Kong Chinese people and the issues of human rights in Hong Kong schools, thereby throwing light on the prospect of human rights education in its relationship to education reform taking place in Hong Kong. The conclusion is that Hong Kongs education reform proposals already embody the spirit of human rights and they have laid the foundation for the development of human rights education.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Amnesty International, Hong Kong (1995).Response to questionnaire on human rights education in Hong Kong secondary school. Hong Kong: Author.
Bauer, J.R. and Bell, D.A. (Eds.)The east asian challenge for human rights (pp.60–87). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Claude, L. (1995). Human rights today. In M.C. Davis (Ed.),Human rights and chinese values (pp. 26–34). Hong Kong: Oxford University Press.
Chen, A.H.Y. (1993). Human rights in China: a brief historical review. In R. Racks (Ed.),Human rights in Hong Kong (pp. 176–221). Hong Kong, Oxford University Press.
Cheng, K. M. (2000).Schools in the new millennium: in quest of a new paradigm. Key-note prepared for International Council for School Effectiveness and Improvement January 5–9, 2000, Hong Kong.
Council of Europe (1985). Recommendation No. R (85) 7 of the committee of ministers to member states on teaching and learning about human rights in school. In H. Starkey (Ed.) (1991),The challenge of human rights education (pp. 256–259) London: Cassell.
Davis, M. C. (1995).Human rights and chinese values (pp. 35–56). Hong Kong: Oxford University Press.
Donnelly, J. (1999). Human rights and asian values: A defense of western universalism. In: J.R. Bauer. and D. A. Bell (Eds.),The east asian challenge for human rights (pp. 60–87). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Du Gangjian and Song Gang (1995). Relating human rights to chinese culture: The four paths of the confucian analects and the four principles of a new theory of benevolence. In M.C. Davis (Ed.),Human eights and chinese values (pp.35–56). Hong Kong: Oxford University Press.
Edwards, R.R., Henkin, C., and Nathans, A.J., (1986).Human rights in contemporary China. New York: Columbia University Press.
Education Department (1996).Guidelines on civic education in schools. Hong Kong, Government Printer.
Education Commission (2000).Reform proposals for the education system in Hong Kong: Education blueprint for the 21st century. Hong Kong: Printing Department.
Education & Manpower Branch (1993).School Education in Hong Kong: A Statement of Aims. Hong Kong: Government Secretariat.
FOK, S.C. and Leung, Y.W. (2000).Initial report on implementation of civic education in junior classes in Hong Kong secondary schools. Unpublished Manuscript.
Ho, H.K. (1995a). School regulations and human rights education. Ming Pao Daily, 12-Dec.,1995.
Ho, H.K. (1995b). The limitation and prospect of school regulations. Ming Pao Daily, 8, Dec, 1995.
Hong Kong Committee on Children Rights (1995).Report on the right of the child. Hong Kong: Author.
Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups (1993).Report of survey of youth and human rights. Hong Kong: Author.
Hong Kong Human Rights Commission (1993).Hong Kong human rights report. Hong Kong: Author.
Independent Commission Against Corruption (1991).Toshi, No. 6. Hong Kong: Author.
Inoue Tatsuo (1999). Liberal democracy and Asian orientation. in J.R Bauer, and D.A. Bell, (Eds.),The east Asian challenge for human rights (pp.27–59). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Junior Chamber of Commerce (1992).Report of a survey of the knowledge of Hong Kong youths about human right concept and the bill of rights, Hong Kong: Author.
Kent, A. (1995).Between freedom and subsistence, China and human rights. New York: Oxford University Press.
King, A.Y.C. (1984). The political culture of Kwun Tong: a Chinese community in Hong Kong. In Y.C. King & R.P.L., Lee (Eds.),Social Life and Development in Hong Kong (pp.147–168). Hong Kong, The Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Lau, S. Y. (1993). Human rights in schools,Reflection and Action. Hong Kong: Christian Human Rights Concern Group.
Lau, S. K, and Kuan, D.C. (1991).The ethos of the Hong Kong Chinese. Hong Kong: The Chinese University Press.
Lee, E. (1995). Human rights and non-western values. In M.C. Davis (Ed.),Human rights and Chinese values. Hong Kong: Oxford University Press.
Liu, H.Q. (1993). Proposals for human rights protection and promotion, the speech made by Vice-Foreign Minister of the People Republic of China at the second world conference on human rights, Vienna, l993,Beijing Review, Jun 28–July 4, l993.
MacNeil, W. (1992). Righting and difference. In: R. Wacks (Ed.)Human rights in Hong Kong (pp.86–119). Hong Kong, University Press.
Oxfam and Amnesty International (1996)Report of the view of Hong Kong secondary teachers and students towards human rights and the world Hong Kong: Author.
Pye, L.W. (1996). The State and the individual: An overview interpretation. In B. Hook (Ed.)The individual and the state in China. New York: Oxford University Press.
Raz, J. (1986).The morality of freedom. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Schwartz, B. (1957). On attitudes toward law in China. In: M. Katz (Ed.)Government under law and the individual. Washington, D.C.: American Council of Learned Societies.
Tai, T. Y. (1994) Promoting human rights education in schools.Civil Education In Schools, 6. Hong Kong: Education Department.
Tu, W. (1992)Epilogue: human rights as a confucian moral discourse. In R. Wacks (Eds.),Human Rights in Hong Kong. Hong Kong, Oxford University Press.
Upendra Baxi (1994) Human rights education: the promise of the third millennium? a paper presented to U.N. Member States and Non-government Organization in the Occasion of the Launching of the UN Decade of Human Rights Education.
Wong, K. S. (1993) The real world of human rights, the speech made by Foreign Minister of Singapore at the second world conference on human rights, Vienna, 1993.
Wu, C. H (Wu Jiangxiong) (1937). Falu Zhexue Yanjiu (Research on Legal Philosophy). Shanghai, Huiwengang Shuju.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Fok, S.C. Meeting the challenge of human rights education: the case of Hong Kong. Asia Pacific Educ. Rev. 2, 56–65 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03024932
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03024932