http://dspace.cityu.edu.hk:80/handle/2031/3740 2013-05-31T18:28:08Z http://dspace.cityu.edu.hk:80/handle/2031/3768 Title: Gender roles portrayals in print advertisements of youth's popular magazines in Hong Kong: a content analysis Authors: Chau, King Chun Abstract: This is an exploratory study that examines portrayals of men and women’s roles in print advertisements of youth’s popular magazines in Hong Kong, a predominate Chinese society. As there is a paucity of similar local research, it is hoped that the study will enrich our present understanding of the subject. The research consists of two parts: 1. An overview of gender roles portrayals in the print advertisement of the popular youth’s magazines; and 2. An in-depth understanding of social meanings conveyed in these advertisements. In regard to the first part, 341 valid advertisements were selected from the six most popular youth’s magazines. The method of content analysis that was modified from the Ho’s (1985) version was employed. The results supported our six hypotheses, which were: 1. Female characters appear in the home more frequently than male characters in the print advertisements of the youth’s popular magazines. 2. Female characters appear more frequently as wives or mothers than male characters as husbands or fathers in the print advertisements of the youth’s popular magazines. 3. Female characters appear less frequently in working roles than male characters in the print advertisements of the youth’s popular magazines. 4. Female characters appear less frequently as professionals than male characters in the print advertisements of the youth’s popular magazines. 5. Female characters appear more frequently as passive than male characters or to be subordinated to men with lower social status in the print advertisements of the youth’s popular magazines. 6. Female characters appear more frequently in the personal products or household products than male characters in the print advertisements of the youth’s popular magazines. On the other hand, four advertisements were chosen for the analysis in part 2 and a semiotic approach was adopted. The four advertisements were selected because they represented the subtlest expressions of gender portrayal in advertising. The findings supplemented the results in part 1. They showed that gender-role stereotypes, which were in line with our traditional beliefs about masculinity and femininity, were ubiquitously signified. These gender-role stereotypes were: 1. “Men mind the external affairs and women the internal affairs” (男主外, 女主內). 2. “A woman likes to beautify herself for the one who loves her” (女為悅己者容). 3. “Males are superior; females are inferior” (男尊女卑). In conclusion, although the development of the modern capitalist economy demands many females to join the labour forces (hence, there were more women appearing as workers in this study than that in the previous research), their family role was still emphasized and signified as the primary one. The changes in our economy and labour market have not brought about any fundamental changes in the patriarchal ideology that has been dominating our society for a long long time. As reflected in those advertisements, patriarchal ideology has greatly determined the gender roles portrayals in the print advertisements, which will continue to be a significant socializing force in shaping the values and beliefs of our youngsters. 1997-01-01T00:00:00Z http://dspace.cityu.edu.hk:80/handle/2031/3767 Title: The relationship between trade-investment and political unification across the Taiwan Straits, 1987 to 1998 Authors: Cheung, Ching Yee Abstract: Over the past decades, intensifying cross-Strait trade-investment has turned the relationship between Mainland China and Taiwan into a new era. Coming along with tight social interaction and the setting up of trade-investment institutions, integrationalists optimistically think that trade-investment brings about the possibility of political unification between the two sides which are undergoing the process of political unification since 1987. By comparing cross-Strait trade-investment and social integration growth rates, by projecting Germany’s experience in cross-Strait trade-investment institutions, and by examining the past 20 years of economic and political relations, this study found that the trade-investment relationship and political unification between Mainland China and Taiwan are not necessarily causal. The study argues that the sovereignty question becomes the main obstacle in the political unification. Unless the two sides of the Strait make compromise on the issue, political unification will take a long and arduous process to achieve. 1999-01-01T00:00:00Z http://dspace.cityu.edu.hk:80/handle/2031/3766 Title: Meeting the global needs: curriculum reform in Hong Kong Authors: Cheung, Hoi Ying Abstract: In the 21st century, societies face different challenges posed by the tidal wave of globalization. The challenges are multi-dimensional and multi-faceted, bearing economical, political, social, and cultural implications. One of them is the global platform which has drawn interdependency among nations and competitiveness originated from the international acquisition of labor. In addition, the evolution of knowledge-based economy has further triggered a change in labor market demands, for instance, demand on creativity, ‘learning to learn’, and ‘learning for life’ abilities. Those new labor market demands have been fitted exactly into the education system of many societies, and Hong Kong is no exception. It has called for the education reform to produce the ideal graduates who can meet the demand and adaptable to the rapid changing environment. Every student needs to learn the demanded competencies. Curriculum reform, an integral part of the education reform carried out since 2000 in Hong Kong, is central to assist students in ‘learning how to learn’ so as to cultivate the attitude of ‘lifelong learning’. In the light of it, this Research Project examined how each curriculum reform measure in primary school and secondary school is carried out, e.g. a new curriculum framework for both basic and senior secondary education, Liberal Studies, and Career-oriented Studies. Two theoretical frameworks, Human Capital and Curriculum as Socially Organized Knowledge were used for the analysis. On one hand, how the curriculum prepares students into a human capital was examined. On the other hand, it was found that the curriculum was still stratified and specialized after reform but effort was seen in improving connectedness. When the macro policy is being translated into the micro environment, the curriculum reform in Hong Kong faces the problem of big gap between suggestions made and the actual conditions. It is mixed with mass education initiatives and elitist education characteristics at schools. 2005-01-01T00:00:00Z http://dspace.cityu.edu.hk:80/handle/2031/3765 Title: Political participation in China: the study of motivation on joining the Chinese communist party among the university students Authors: Wong, Carmen Ka Man Abstract: No one will disagree that every one of us should have the right to participate in political aspect. Under different political system, people have many channels of political participation. However, the pathway of political participation in China, under the ruling of Chinese Communist Party (CCP), is different from other democratic countries. Many scholars studied this topic in the past 15 years (Rosen, 1990; Bian, 1994; Walder, 1995; Shi, 1999; Bian, 2001; Chan, 2000; Guo, 2005). Nevertheless, the economic reform and political movement brought great changes to China since 1990s. These changes might affect the recruitment of the CCP member and political attitudes of the people, especially university students who are labeled as elites of the society. This study presents the political attitude of university students in joining the CCP. Through in-depth interviews, factors that led the students to join the CCP and how the image of the political party affected their decision are explored. The primary goal of this study is to explain the attitudes of the students toward political aspects. Throughout this study, the political conviction and the opportunity provided for the applicants acted as important factors in the motivation of joining the party. I argued that the role of the CCP as the ruling party and the failing faith in the education level among the university students result in the willingness to join the CCP among nearly half of the university students. 2004-01-01T00:00:00Z