The seminar series is an activity regularly organized by the Department of Sociology and Social Policy at Lingnan University. International and local scholars are invited to present their latest research to the community.

In this session, Dr. Vincent W. P. Lee from Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, will present his study titled  "A Study of Perspectives on Roles and Responsibilities in Social Welfare in Hong Kong".

Abstract:

Scholars studying Hong Kong's social welfare system and other stakeholders tend to see it as a residual system. That means social welfare is seen as an institution that facilitates the failures of the market economy and the breakdown of family functions.

This study aims to examine how people perceive the roles and responsibilities of the government, the human service sector, and the general public in Hong Kong in social welfare. Using the method of constructivist grounded theory, qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted between June 2021 and April 2022 with 45 different stakeholders of social welfare to understand the viewpoints and attitudes on the role and responsibilities of social welfare in Hong Kong.

The majority of the interviewees reflected that the significant social problems in Hong Kong, in their eyes, were the shortage of adequate housing, long waiting queues for elderly and disability services, uncertain prospects of young people, and limited opportunities in the job market. Most interviewees agreed that the Hong Kong government had to take up the primary responsibility of supporting individuals and social groups in need. They also thought that the business sectors should play a more substantial role in caring for people’s livelihoods. This study has served as an insightful analysis for a better understanding of the welfare mentalities of different stakeholders in Hong Kong.