published_or_final_version / Urban Planning / Master / Master of Science in Urban Planning

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work

published_or_final_version / Urban Planning / Master / Master of Science in Urban Planning

published_or_final_version / Urban Planning / Master / Master of Science in Urban Planning

published_or_final_version / Urban Planning / Master / Master of Science in Urban Planning

published_or_final_version / Urban Planning / Master / Master of Science in Urban Planning

published_or_final_version / abstract / Urban Design / Master / Master of Urban Design

published_or_final_version / Architecture / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

本文環繞香港都市的一個邊緣社區，探討深水埗居民的生活。從當地人的角度，研究後工業社會的弱勢居民，怎樣體驗，應對及理解他們的生活情況。透過了解居民的日常生活，本論文旨在探究在社會結構與文化進程的互動下，如何令深水埗成為香港中心的邊緣社區。研究顯示在香港不斷轉變的政治經濟環境下，深水埗的地區性發展、低成本經濟、居民的組合，以及居民的心態和行為，都是構成邊緣社區的重要因素。 / This is an ethnographic study of a marginal neighbourhood of Hong Kong, Sham Shui Po. It focuses on the everyday lives of Hong Kong's urban poor in Sham Shui Po. By taking an insider's point of view, this study examines how underprivileged residents experience, manage and think about their lives in post-industrial urban Hong Kong. This study seeks to understand the social structures and cultural processes that contribute to Sham Shui Po's marginality in the centre of Hong Kong by exploring the lives and livelihoods of underprivileged residents. I show how Sham Shui Po's regional development, low-cost economy, residential composition, as well as the mindset and behaviour of its residents all contribute to making of a marginal neighbourhood in the context of post-industrial Hong Kong. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Christopher Cheng. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2012. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 139-155). / Abstracts also in Chinese. / Chapter CHAPTER 1 --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Sham Shui Po as a marginal neighbourhood in Hong Kong / Poverty / Marginalisation / Reproduction of poverty / Neighbourhood / Methodology / Fieldwork / Limitations and ethical concerns / Thesis organisation / Chapter CHAPTER 2 --- THE SETTING --- p.22 / Central position yet marginal character / Living in a tong⁴ lau⁴ / Geographies of centrality and marginality / Sham Shui Po and the modernisation of Hong Kong / Neighbourhood characteristics / Chapter 1 --- The tong⁴ lau⁴ streets / Chapter 2 --- Street markets and the leftover effects of yesteryears / Chapter 3 --- Low-cost economy and residents / Chapter 4 --- Community service agencies / Sham Shui Po as a unique setting / Chapter CHAPTER 3 --- SIX POOR FAMILIES --- p.46 / Introducing six Sham Shui Po families / Case 1 Uncle Leung--An earlier generation Chinese migrant / Case 2 Ms. Tang Yuk-yip--A Mainland welfare mother / Case 3 Uncle Mok--An elderly Hong Kong man / Case 4 Uncle Kwok--A remarried Hong Kong father / Case 5 Patrick Lau--A low-income Hong Kong father / Case 6 Makala Sariwa--A Filipina single parent seeking asylum / Variations in social marginalisation / Hidden in society: Unfulfilled promises, shame and social debt / Chapter CHAPTER 4 --- SURVIVAL STRATEGIES --- p.72 / Survival strategies / Strategy 1: Low-cost lifestyle / Strategy 2: Initiatives of a marginal neighbourhood / Strategy 3: Sharing and mutual exchange networks / Strategy 4: Institutional services / The relationship between the different strategies / Surviving in Sham Shui Po / Chapter CHAPTER 5 --- POVERTY AS LIVED EXPERIENCE --- p.101 / Becoming poor / Fate and situational determinants of poverty / Being poor / Celebrations / “Being poor may do you some good!“ / Shame, guilt and loss of face / “We aren’t that poor!“ / Aspiring to overcome poverty / Valuing educating / Moving on / Explaining and challenging the notions of inequality / Chapter CHAPTER 6 --- CONCLUSION: A MARGINAL NEIGHBOURHOOD --- p.123 / Chapter 1 --- Historical development / Chapter 2 --- Low-cost economy / Chapter 3 --- The people of Sham Shui Po and the making of a “mixed place“ / Chapter 4 --- Marginal lives, marginal livelihoods / Chapter APPENDIX 1 --- REFLECTIONS ON FIELDWORK --- p.130 / Chapter APPENDIX 2 --- SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF MY INFORMANTS --- p.132 / Chapter APPENDIX 3 --- SUPPORT SERVICES & ORGANISATIONS --- p.134 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.149

As the world advances and communications keep improving, most people understandably are looking for better living qualities instead of merely a 'shelter'. These include not only the middle or upper classes but also those residing in government subsidized public housing such as the ones in Hong Kong. Although public housing estates are only meant to offer a very low-cost environment meeting basic accommodation needs, people still wants to enjoy daily living in terms of community harmony, friendly and helpful neighborhood, mutual interaction, and common social activities. Thus, in Hong Kong, research studies have since been proposed to determine the possible factors that can increase the life quality for public housing, given that these budgeted estates do not carry much commercial values and are limited in space, location, and architectural merits. The term "tenant participation", introduced by Linneman and Megbolugbe, refers to the active participation of tenants in well-organized manner to influence and improve their own living conditions. Tenants will be able to seek more rights and involvement in the healthy and pleasant development for their own estates. In 1995, the Housing Authority launched the Estate Management Advisory Committee (EMAC) Scheme to address the rising aspiration of tenant participation. An EMAC estate allow tenants to participate in local management matters, design of housing units, provision of facilities, and partnering arrangements. Consequently, it is expected that tenants there will develop a stronger sense of belongings, foster a more harmony neighborhood, and enhance neighborly interaction. For non-EMAC estates, tenant participation would be weak due to lack of resources in organizing interesting activities, relatively less community attachment, and shorter length of resident period. The purpose of this research work aims to qualify and quantify the degree of tenant participation for EMAC estates, versus the non-EMAC ones. And hence we will be able to make recommendations to enhance neighborly interaction. Our research approach first depends on a survey exercise in three selected public rental housing estates. The survey is specially-designed to serve two purposes: 1) identifying the factors affecting neighborly interaction for both EMAC and non-EMAC estates; and 2) evaluating the degree of tenant participation in affecting neighborly interaction in three categories – EMAC with members taking active involvement, EMAC with less active involvement, and finally the non-EMAC. Approach next is to substantiate the survey findings with explanation by considering three orthogonal aspects: 1) the change of policy on EMAC Scheme, on EMAC funding arrangement, and on the enhanced partnering arrangement among EMACs and NGOs; 2) the design of housing blocks and community facilities provided in EMAC and non-EMAC estates; and 3) the sociological impact which considers the residents' aspiration and feeling on living environment as well as their desire on community building activities. Applying the above statistical approach on our targeted population, we have obtained reasonable sample sizes of normal distribution spanning working and non-working classes, genders, and various age groups. By analyzing the results, we have confirmed our hypothesis and further been able to make recommendations to strengthen neighborly interaction for our public rental housing estates. In concluding the research, we are putting forward three specific recommendations: 1) on top of establishing EMACs, we should extensively promote and facilitate the enhanced partnering arrangements jointly with NGOs, Voluntary Agencies (VA), and Residents Associations (RA); 2) for an estate which is still not EMAC-ready, we should help and fund to establish a local community service and activity task force to build up effective and attractive tenant participation; and 3) we should allow higher flexibility in the use of EMAC funding according to specific needs of an estate as some may demand more improvement works while some may want more partnering functions and activities due to dynamic population fluctuation. / published_or_final_version / Housing Management / Master / Master of Housing Management