Journalists as actors of democratic resilience: Independent online media in autocratizing Hong Kong

Studies of democratic resilience typically focus on the role of political institutions in resisting autocratization. Few studies focus on the roles of social actors in resisting autocratization even after institutional breakdown. This study offers a case study of Hong Kong, where the enactment of the National Security Law (NSL) in 2020 had ushered in a process of rapid autocratization and disrupted the status quo of the city as a hybrid regime. In the post-NSL era, social actors such as civil society practitioners and liberal journalists became crucial in sustaining democratic resilience at the societal and cultural level. Based on in-depth interviews with 20 online journalists, this article examines why these journalists decide to stay in journalism despite the severely worsened environment, the practices that signify their resilience, and how they manage risks in the process. The article thus contributes to understanding of the possible sources of democratic resilience under autocratization.