Community Development Journal Advance Access published online on April 15, 2009
Community Development Journal, doi:10.1093/cdj/bsp015
Organizing women for policy advocacy in Hong Kong: identities and perspectives of women organizers
Address for correspondence: Shirley Hung Suet-lin, email: slhung{at}hkbu.edu.hk
This exploratory study of three women organizers in Hong Kong reveals their clear positions in the web of identities comprising social workers, community workers, workers working with women, and feminist organizers. There is no common identity among them and they may or may not see the relevance of a feminist analysis to their work. The resistance to a feminist identity is explained in the perceived style of feminists, the focus of the women's movement and also the essentialist nature of the concept of ‘women’. The resistance to the social work identity is explained in their perceived characteristics of social work practiced in the local context. Community organizing for structural change is increasingly being viewed as in conflict with social work. While diversity is definitely appreciated, that social work, community practice, and feminist perspectives are intriguingly connected to a mission that address various forms of oppression has to be recognized.