Influence of political movement on fields of study: Evidence from Hong Kong

Exposure to political movements may influence individuals' behavior, such as decisions on fields of study. On the basis of the Hong Kong Population Census 2011 and 2016, this paper investigates the difference in fields of study between two cohorts, one exposed to the Occupy Central movement in 2014, by applying the cohort difference-in-differences approach. As a global business center, business-related fields of study have been popular among students in Hong Kong. However, the political movement triggered the interests of young people to study several nonbusiness-related fields, such as humanities, social and behavioral sciences, life sciences, health, and law. Significant differences in the effect exist across language speaking, household income, and gender. The study shows that political movement may affect education by triggering public awareness of related knowledge, but it varies by human capital, identity, and family background.