Caregiver Portrayal in Hong Kong Newspaper Discourse: A Foucauldian Discourse Analysis

The self-perception of caregivers and how others perceive and treat them can profoundly impact their sense of identity, social value, and the dynamics of caregiving. This Foucauldian discourse analysis examined both explicit and implicit portrayals of caregivers in Hong Kong newspaper articles, a society structured by the Confucian ethos of filial piety and postcolonial neoliberalism. Newspaper articles (n = 27; published between 2017 and 2025) explicitly referencing caregivers were sourced from the online platform of 11 major Hong Kong news outlets. Our analysis revealed five key themes: governmentality and biopower, social support, normalization of caregivers, culturally influenced challenges, and workplace complexities. Caregivers are frequently represented as “invisible heroes,” while caregiving is naturalized as a duty, particularly for women. This narrative, while celebratory, also marginalizes their identities in policy discourse, reflecting Hong Kong’s historical preference for non-interventionist governance, alignment with neoliberal ideals of self-reliance and minimal public expenditure, and the stigmatization of social welfare.