Curriculum Change in Hong Kong Between 1985-2005 : A case study of civics and citizenship education

The last two decades have witnessed political transitions in a number of regions throughout the world. The impact of such change is felt beyond the realm of politics. An important question that needs assessment is the effect of political change on education. This study focuses on one particular region that has undergone transition, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China. Detailing Hong Kong's education from colonial past to present and its unique position in China, it examines the historical and political contextual background of curriculum change between 1985 and 2005. The study describes curriculum studies, social studies traditions, and constructs a chart for differentiating education for democracy or authoritarianism. The analysis uses the tools of critical theory and post-colonial theory and examines the official curricula with social studies frameworks. The study will be of particular interest to researchers and scholars interested in the influence of political change on education, those working in the field of postcolonial theory, as well as those interested in the areas of curriculum development and the history of Hong Kong.