Thisstudydemonstratesthatrecognizingthedifferencesofthewomenactivistspromotingdisparateagendasleadstoafullerappreciationoftheconnectionsandcommonalitiesintherelationsamongthoseinvolved.TransnationalFeminismandWomen’sMovementsinPost-1997HongKong:SolidarityBeyondtheStateisthefirstcomprehensiveaccountoffeminismandwomen’smovementsinHongKong.Theuniquegeographical,historicalandculturalsituationofthecityprovidesthebackdropforAdelynLimtobringdiversegroupsofactivistsorganizingsociallydisadvantagedanddisaffectedwomen,manyofwhomoriginatingfromMainlandChinaorSouthandSoutheastAsia,totheforeground.Feminism,Limargues,isnotpremisedonacollectiveidentity;itshouldratherbeunderstoodasacollectiveframeofaction.
Thebookbeginswithacriticalhistoryofwomen’smobilizationduringtheBritishcolonialperiodandtheleaduptogovernanceunderthePeople’sRepublicofChina.Subsequentchaptersdiscusstheorganizationalforms,rhetoric,andstrategiesofwomen’sgroupsinaddressingthefeminizationofpoverty,engagementwithstateinstitutions,violenceagainstwomen,prostitution,anddomesticwork.Conflictsbetweenfeministidealsandtherealitiesanddemandsofthesociopoliticalenvironmentarethrownintosharprelief.TheempiricalanalysismakesacaseforHongKongtobeconsideredaprimesitetochallengeandrenewthetheorizingoftransnationalfeminism.
