Battles of Definitions

This book examines the discourses of democracy in the
context of political development in Hong Kong during
the first 10 years after the 1997 handover with a
means of rhetoric and frame analysis. Findings are
divided in to two; firstly the rhetorical themes
warranting the democracy discussion, secondly the
frames of the debate and the frame portrayal of the
democracy situation. Overall, the study shows how
political actors define political options and promote
development, which is favourable to their interests
and views, through framing democracy in different
ways. The book reveals the frames that describe
different point of views, and contributes to the
understanding of democrats position as re-framers.
Found frames are clustered into paradigmatic
framesets that deal with the concrete democracy issue
and the political situation in nowadays Hong Kong.
Consequently, the democracy debate in Hong Kong is
organised around two opposite and idealised templates
for democracy.

Autorentext

The author took a master degree, MSocSc, at the Department ofSocial Sciences and Philosophy, University of Jyväskylä, and aPhD at the Department of Public and Social Administration, CityUniversity of Hong Kong.

Klappentext

This book examines the discourses of democracy in thecontext of political development in Hong Kong duringthe first 10 years after the 1997 handover with ameans of rhetoric and frame analysis. Findings aredivided in to two; firstly the rhetorical themeswarranting the democracy discussion, secondly theframes of the debate and the frame portrayal of thedemocracy situation. Overall, the study shows howpolitical actors define political options and promotedevelopment, which is favourable to their interestsand views, through framing democracy in differentways. The book reveals the frames that describedifferent point of views, and contributes to theunderstanding of democrats' position as re-framers.Found frames are clustered into paradigmaticframesets that deal with the concrete democracy issueand the political situation in nowadays Hong Kong.Consequently, the democracy debate in Hong Kong isorganised around two opposite and idealised templatesfor democracy.