Richard Estes, MSW, DSW
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Research - Current Projects
Social Development Trends in Hong Kong: The Unfinished Agenda
Project Description:
Since at least the mid-1960s, Hong Kong has been regarded as one of East Asia's major economic centers-a so-called "small dragon." Today, Hong Kong has developed into a major trading and financial center for the world-as-a-whole and, as a result, has become one of the world's most prosperous societies.
Following decades of rapid economic expansion, however, Hong Kong has arrived at an important crossroads. Economic expansion is no longer as rapid as during earlier decades. Jobs are more difficult to secure, pay less well, and are associated with less security than in the past. The cost of housing, food, health care and other basic necessities consume a larger share of total household earnings for which people must work longer hours. Meaningful savings are more difficult for all but a privileged few. And the SAR's problems with crime, homelessness and the environment have proven less solvable than anticipated. In addition, "new" problems with family violence, drug abuse, youth suicide, and sex tourism have surfaced. Rapid increases in population aging also are posing special challenges for Hong Kong's already heavily pressed income security system.
The goals of this project include: 1) the creation of an analytical tool unique to Hong Kong for use in assessing the SAR's changing social, political and economic needs over time; 2) an analysis of the SAR's social development trends at various points in time; 3) comparisons of the SAR's social development patterns vis-à-vis those of other well-off societies; 4) a systematic analysis of the social development "performances" of Hong Kong's historically vulnerable population groups-women, the aged, children, youth, and low-income households-vis-à-vis those of the society-as-a-whole; 5) with others in Hong Kong society, to initiate a process of working toward more balanced social and economic development; and, 6) to the fullest extent practical, foster the participation of social leaders in Hong Kong throughout all stages of the data collection and analysis effort.
Project Sponsors:
Hong Kong Council of Social Service
Project Dates:
1999-2002
Project Staff:
Richard J. Estes, Principal Investigator and, in Hong Kong, Chua Hoi Wai
John Y.C. Fung and Anthony K.W. Wong--all of the Hong Kong Council of Social Service
Research Sites:
Hong Kong, SAR
Related Publications:
Estes, Richard J. (2003). Social Development in Hong Kong: The Unfinished Agenda (London & New York: Oxford University Press, 2003)--in press.
Estes, Richard J. (2002). "Toward a Social Development Index For Hong Kong: The Process of Community Engagement" (in collaboration with Chua Hoi Wai, John Fung, and Anthony Wong), Social Indicators Research 58(1-3):313-347. Chinese version published by the Hong Kong Council of Social Service, June 2000.
