'Legal Resistance under Authoritarianism': Professional Awakening from Political Crisis
Key information
- Date
- Time
-
5:00 pm to 6:30 pm
- Venue
- SOAS Main Building
- Room
- RB01
- Event type
- Seminar
About this event
Dr Eric Yan-ho Lai talks about his new book Legal Resistance Under Authoritarianism: The Struggle for the Rule of Law in Hong Kong, which examines the decline of Hong Kong’s rule of law under China’s expanding authoritarian influence.
While the imposition of the National Security Law in 2020 is seen as a turning point, Dr Eric Yan-ho Lai argues that threats to Hong Kong’s rule of law began with the 1997 sovereignty transfer. Drawing on comprehensive fieldwork, Dr Lai explores the tensions between legal profession, political authorities and the state’s broader authoritarian project between the 2014 Umbrella Movement and the 2019 Anti-extradition Bill Movement. Highlighting resistance strategies employed by a critical minority of legal professionals, Dr Lai reveals how their efforts played a crucial role in countering state encroachment even after the enactment of the National Security Law. A compelling study of legal transplantation, legal resistance and the rule of law, this book sheds light on China’s influence beyond its jurisdiction, and Hong Kong’s uniqueness in global anti-authoritarian struggles.
Registration
This event is open to the public and free to attend; however, registration is required. This seminar is taking place on campus and will not be recorded or live-streamed.
Organiser
This event has been organised by the SOAS China Institute.
About the speaker
Dr Eric Yan-ho Lai is a senior fellow at the Center for Asian Law, Georgetown University Law Center. He studies and writes on law and society, judicial politics, human rights and national security in hybrid and authoritarian regimes. His academic works can be found in Communist and Post-communist Studies, Journal of Asian and African Studies, the Hong Kong Law Journal and the Taiwan Human Rights Journal. Legal Resistance Under Authoritarianism is his third book and first research monograph.
This event will be chaired by Professor Steve Tsang (Director, SOAS China Institute).
Contact
Email: sci@soas.ac.uk
Book cover
