The biggest risk is Britain’s desire to stand alone in the world.
A Buddhist monk releases birds, symbolizing the spirits of the victims of the 2004 tsunami. This Chinese tradition of analogy was taken up by the demonstrators in Hong Kong.
Samantha Sin/AFP
Hong Kong protesters deeply identify with nature, a reference to the current environmental crisis but also a fluid conception of collective action that is inscribed in ancient Chinese tradition.
Today’s protests are driven more by anger over social and economic inequity than deep-seated grievances against a regime.
Orlando Barria/EPA
People get angry far more often than they rebel. And rebellions rarely become revolutions. An expert on the French Revolution explains why today’s protest movements are different.
Hong Kong protesters shelter behind a thin barrier – and umbrellas – as police fire tear gas and encircle a group of demonstrators.
AP Photo/Vincent Yu
Revolutions are built not on deep misery but on rising expectations. History may not provide much hope of immediate change in Hong Kong – but protesters may have a longer view.
Preparing for a clash with police at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Jerome Favre/EPA
After months of respecting the boundaries of university campuses, the Hong Kong police moved in to make arrests. Now, protesters are defending what had once been sanctified spaces.
Police fire tear gas to deter protesters in Hong Kong.
Jerome Favre/EPA
If the protesters can channel their energy in a more lasting, organised way, they may be able to achieve even more than the “five demands”. Could the French Revolution be a source of inspiration?
The most likely explanation for the unrest lies not in Beijing’s influence over the city, but rather the nature of Hong Kong government and society itself.
Protesters throw rocks on September 15.
Jerome Favre/EPA
Why a spontaneous popular movement emerged in Hong Kong.
With more than 80% of Singaporeans living in state-provided housing, the city rates well for affordability compared to Sydney, where the figure is just 5.5%.
Bill Roque/Shutterstock
A coordinated mix of policies does more to keep housing affordable for a significant proportion of a city’s residents than the unbalanced approach we see in Sydney.
Police tactics in Hong Kong have not helped the cycle of protest, repression and further protest.
The biggest difference between the current protest movement and the 2014 Umbrella Movement is the striking solidarity among the various groups of demonstrators. Everyone feels they are ‘in the same boat’ together, new research shows.
Roman Pilipey/EPA
A survey of 8,000 Hong Kong protesters shows that participants increasingly feel that radical protests are the most effective way to make the government heed public opinion.
Police separate pro-China and pro-Hong Kong students at an August 16 protest outside the University of South Australia in Adelaide.
Kelly Barnes/AAP
The protests in Hong Kong have led to clashes between Chinese students here in Australia. What is it that makes those from mainland China so patriotic towards their country and leadership?