Between the two Great Wars, public pressure to end colonialism grew strong worldwide, forcing London to reform its colonial practice throughout the Empire. In Hong Kong, the local population witnessed the collapse of British rule early in WWII, and no longer took colonial rule for granted. Confronting the widespread expression of national pride among Hong Kong Chinese at the end of the war, Britain had to fight an uphill battle to restore the colonial rule. This presentation draws on Professor Lu’s recent book, Crossed Paths: Labor Activism and Colonial Governance in Hong Kong, 1938-1958, to show how the colonial state succeeded in rejuvenating British rule in postwar Hong Kong by means of force and law.

About the Speaker:

Lu Yan is Professor Emerita at the University of New Hampshire, where she taught from 1996 to 2021. Her research focused on histories of transnational and cross-cultural interactions.

The Law Society of Hong Kong has awarded this seminar 1.5 Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points.