This dissertation takes a cultural-constructivism socialization approach in analyzing the mutual construction of international human rights norms, theories of self-determination, and changes of Hong Kong¡¦s democratic rights. With survey data on Hong Kong¡¦s political rights before and after 1997, it also investigates the attitudes of the people of Hong Kong toward democratic rights and their impact on the development of Hong Hong¡¦s democratic rights. The results signal that the power of international human rights norms have positive effects on constructing a consciousness of human rights both in China and the world¡¦s community of democracies. Hong Kong¡¦s democratic opposition and international forces are two major agents driving the direction and strength of the socialization of democratic rights in Hong Kong. This dissertation further finds that the different sub-cultures within Hong Kong¡¦s democratic opposition weaken the ability of the democratic movement to reform the institutions of democratic rights in Hong Kong. The results reflect a clear trend that while norms and theories of self-determination are evolving towards adopting the right to internal self-determination as part of the right to democratic governance, the discourse of ¡§peaceful democracy¡¨ has been the mainstream for improving democratic rights through the recognition of the right to internal self-determination. This dissertation indicates that the respective discourses on rights to democratic participation within the international community, China, and Hong Kong are adaptive to one another, which contributes to the survival of the unique, autonomous regime of democratic rights in Hong Kong. It concludes that whether or not norms and theories of the right to internal self-determination are legitimized and internalized by the global human rights system will have effects on the further development of the right to democratic participation in Hong Kong and other regions.

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