A New Era of National Identity Education: Trends and Political Rationales in Hong Kong

Objective: The issue of national identity in Hong Kong is the product of complicated political, social, and educational factors. School, among others, is often the central field where debates about national identity occur. However, little is known about the latest situation and the political rationales undergirding these changes. Methods: The Hong Kong government has initiated many significant reforms to better implement national identity education in schools since 2020. This article uses content analysis to review the latest government documents. Results: This article shows that since 2020, national identity education in schools has entered a new era emphasizing increasing nationalization and promoting national identity as a non-controversial issue. Conclusion: This article then discusses the political rationales undergirding this new government approach and to what extent it can serve the government’s political interests.