We are proud to highlight Professor Hee Sun Choi’s book Urban Marginality in Hong Kong’s Global Diaspora (Palgrave Pivot, 2019), which examines the critical intersections of public space, social inequality, and urban belonging in one of the world’s most globalized cities.

Book Overview

The book investigates the characteristics, roles, and social values of public spaces in Hong Kong, with a particular focus on marginalized communities—most notably foreign domestic helpers. Through ethnographic fieldwork and a participatory design methodology, Professor Choi explores how these groups appropriate and transform selected public spaces for social, cultural, and political activities.

By doing so, the book demonstrates how marginalized populations not only navigate but actively shape the urban environment, challenging dominant narratives of urban development in advanced capitalist societies. It offers a compelling perspective on the reciprocal relationship between public space, identity, and social justice.

Key Themes

• Urban marginality and social equality

• The politics of place-making and belonging

• Participatory design and ethnographic urban research

• Intersections of migration, labor, and the built environment

Publication Details

• Title: Urban Marginality in Hong Kong’s Global Diaspora

• Author: Hee Sun Choi

• Publisher: Palgrave Pivot Cham (Springer Nature)

• Publication Date: January 30, 2019 (eBook) | February 20, 2019 (Hardcover)

• Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-030-04641-5

• eBook ISBN: 978-3-030-04642-2

• DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-04642-2