季風人文講壇第86期：Shibani Mahtani & Timothy McLaughlin

Among the Braves: the story of Hong Kong's democracy movement

with Shibani Mahtani & Timothy McLaughlin

November 20, 2025｜In English

The Talk focuses on Among the Braves, a powerful narrative that traces the history of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement through the eyes of two frontline journalists. Centered on four key activists, the book follows Hong Kong’s journey from the 1997 handover and the promise of One country, Two systems, to the mass protests of 2019 and Beijing’s subsequent crackdown. Through personal stories of courage, sacrifice, and resistance, it reveals the complex dynamics of the movement and explores what Hong Kong’s struggle means for the future of global democracy. 



About the Speaker 

Shibani Mahtani is an international investigative correspondent for the Washington Post, where she covers the Asia-Pacific region with a focus on organized crime, human rights, and government accountability. Previously, she was a reporter for the Wall Street Journal.



Timothy McLaughlin is a contributing writer at the Atlantic magazine, and a regular contributor to other U.S. magazines including Bloomberg Businessweek, The Nation and Wired. He was previously a reporter for Reuters and has won numerous awards for his coverage of Hong Kong.

Moderator for this talk, Can, is a cultural organizer based in D.C. He previously lived in Hong Kong and contributed commentary to independent outlets, including Stand News, Citizen News, Liberty Times, and InMediaHK, focusing on the city’s political transformation and social movements.