Urban space and leisure in Hong Kong: The health and social life of elderly bird-keepers
Ho Hon Leung
Abstract
This paper examines how the health and social life of Hong Kong's elderly bird-keepers have been negatively impacted by a set of complex issues that intersect social and cultural change, urban development, and health concerns taking place in Hong Kong and its neighboring regions. The paper is a result of longitudinal qualitative study on the bird-keeping hobby shared by many elderly men. Using in-depth interviews of over a hundred bird-keepers and related business retailers and extensive fieldwork, the findings suggest that the practice of this traditional hobby has been challenged by complex and intersected factors: social, cultural, economic, and natural/environmental. The findings also reveal the impact of urban development and public policies on bird-keeping practices. The conclusion suggests how to form policies that can create quality places where Hong Kong's rapidly aging population can pursue their leisure for needed physical and mental health.