From Laughter to Lament Mapping the Rise and Fall of Humour in Hong Kong Activism 2019–2020

Abstract

This article examines the emergence, transformation, and eventual decline of humour in the 2019–2020 Hong Kong protest movement through discourse analysis, supported by first-hand participation and semi-structured interviews. It argues that humour initially offered temporary superiority over authority, fostered solidarity, and shaped lived experiences of collective resistance. However, the classist and meritocratic implications embedded in protest humour fractured the movement. The deliberate overlook within the jokes further undermines the validity of the humour. The nationhood invoked through humour also became a tacit test of allegiance. Externally, escalating state violence and the imposition of the National Security Law rendered humour increasingly untenable, shifting affective registers from laughter to grief, trauma, and self-censorship. By mapping this transition, the article demonstrates how humour can move from an empowering practice to a divisive and even detrimental force, contributing to broader debates on affect, censorship, and the politics of expression under authoritarianism.

Keywords: activism, Hong Kong, humour