https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/full\/10.1177\/02632764261427661<\/a><\/p>\n\nAbstract<\/p>\n\n
This article examines a utopian impulse in popular culture and activism through a reading of cultural objects disseminated from East Asia. It terms this impulse \u2018small-store utopianism\u2019, seeing it as a cultural imagination that anchors hope in small-scale retail spaces, and explores its emergence, characteristics, and potentiality.<\/p>\n\n
The article argues that: (1) this impulse emerges in response to various contexts shaped by intersecting forms of power and precarity that are entangled with forces such as neoliberalism and neostatism; (2) such a utopianism mythologizes small stores as having a capacity to deviate from their capitalist \u2018storeness\u2019 to shelter vulnerable bodies, memories, and experiments; and (3) such deviated storeness is enabled by storekeeping and storytelling \u2013 cultural practices which may foster infrastructures of hope in everyday life, grounding and disseminating other utopian visions such as convivialism and commoning.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Author: Joseph (Cho-kiu) L Source: Theory, Culture & Society Link: https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/full\/10.1177\/02632764261427661<\/a> Abstract This article examines a utopian impulse in popular culture and activism through a reading of cultural objects disseminated from East Asia. It terms this impulse \u2018small-store utopianism\u2019, seeing it as a cultural imagination that anchors hope in small-scale retail spaces, and explores its […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":145170531,"featured_media":6534,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_wpcom_ai_launchpad_first_post":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[776957933],"tags":[776958285,776958283,776958076,776958284],"class_list":["post-7891","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category--en","tag-cultural-practices","tag-east-asian-studies","tag-newsroom","tag-small-store"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/typesetter.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/article.png?fit=1280%2C720&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pai6UY-23h","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":8081,"url":"https:\/\/typesetter.hk\/en\/2026\/06\/08\/article-travelling-within-critical-ai-studies-an-east-asian-standpoint\/","url_meta":{"origin":7891,"position":0},"title":"[Article] Travelling with(in) Critical AI Studies: An East Asian Standpoint","author":"\u624b\u6c11\u51fa\u7248\u793e","date":"08\/06\/2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Author: Hiu-Fung Chung Source: Media, Culture & Society Link: https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/full\/10.1177\/01634437251385483 Abstract How does critical AI studies itself travel, and what happens when it arrives elsewhere? 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By giving detailed examples of varied\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Hong Kong Studies Newsroom"","block_context":{"text":"Hong Kong Studies Newsroom","link":"https:\/\/typesetter.hk\/en\/category\/%e9%a6%99%e6%b8%af%e5%ad%b8%e8%a1%93%e6%83%85%e5%a0%b1%e5%ae%a4-en\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/typesetter.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/article.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/typesetter.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/article.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/typesetter.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/article.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/typesetter.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/article.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/typesetter.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/article.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7476,"url":"https:\/\/typesetter.hk\/en\/2025\/12\/23\/article-towards-a-cyberpunk-translation-for-global-cities-a-study-of-kowloon-city-in-hong-kong\/","url_meta":{"origin":7891,"position":2},"title":"[Article] Towards a “Cyberpunk Translation” for Global Cities: A Study of Kowloon City in Hong Kong","author":"\u624b\u6c11\u51fa\u7248\u793e","date":"23\/12\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Author: Song Ge Source: Perspectives: Studies in Translation Theory and Practice Link: https:\/\/www.tandfonline.com\/doi\/full\/10.1080\/0907676X.2025.2509029 Abstract This research explores the relationship between cyberpunk aesthetics and translation in the context of Kowloon City, Hong Kong. Kowloon City, with its grid-like street layout, historical tenant buildings, vibrant shop signs, and (once) low-flying airplanes, becomes\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Hong Kong Studies Newsroom"","block_context":{"text":"Hong Kong Studies Newsroom","link":"https:\/\/typesetter.hk\/en\/category\/%e9%a6%99%e6%b8%af%e5%ad%b8%e8%a1%93%e6%83%85%e5%a0%b1%e5%ae%a4-en\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/typesetter.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/article.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/typesetter.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/article.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/typesetter.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/article.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/typesetter.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/article.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/typesetter.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/article.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7253,"url":"https:\/\/typesetter.hk\/en\/2025\/10\/23\/the-failed-hong-kong-protest-of-summer-1986-an-interview-with-marcus-yee\/","url_meta":{"origin":7891,"position":3},"title":"The \u201cFailed\u201d Hong Kong Protest of Summer 1986: An Interview with Marcus Yee","author":"\u624b\u6c11\u51fa\u7248\u793e","date":"23\/10\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Editor's note: In the summer of 1986, Hong Kong witnessed a groundbreaking protest that combined global and local mobilisation\u2014the movement against the Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant. With over one million signatures in support and 116 groups forming a cross-sector alliance encompassing trade unions, neighbourhood groups, environmental organisations, and district\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Notebook"","block_context":{"text":"Notebook","link":"https:\/\/typesetter.hk\/en\/category\/notebook-en\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/typesetter.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/webpost-profile.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/typesetter.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/webpost-profile.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/typesetter.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/webpost-profile.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/typesetter.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/webpost-profile.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/typesetter.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/webpost-profile.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7494,"url":"https:\/\/typesetter.hk\/en\/2025\/12\/30\/article-culture-goes-east-mapping-the-shifting-geographies-of-urban-cultural-capital-through-major-cultural-buildings\/","url_meta":{"origin":7891,"position":4},"title":"[Article] Culture goes East: Mapping the Shifting Geographies of Urban Cultural Capital through Major Cultural Buildings","author":"\u624b\u6c11\u51fa\u7248\u793e","date":"30\/12\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Author: David Gogishvili and Martin M\u00fcller Source: Urban Studies Link: https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/full\/10.1177\/00420980241289846 Abstract Culture has become a major component of policies to put cities on the global map. This article traces the shifting geographies of urban cultural capital using the lens of major cultural buildings, such as the Guggenheim Bilbao Museum\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Hong Kong Studies Newsroom"","block_context":{"text":"Hong Kong Studies Newsroom","link":"https:\/\/typesetter.hk\/en\/category\/%e9%a6%99%e6%b8%af%e5%ad%b8%e8%a1%93%e6%83%85%e5%a0%b1%e5%ae%a4-en\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/typesetter.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/article.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/typesetter.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/article.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/typesetter.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/article.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/typesetter.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/article.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/typesetter.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/article.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8054,"url":"https:\/\/typesetter.hk\/en\/2026\/06\/01\/article-cultural-memory-queer-affect-and-digital-economies-across-the-adaptation-journey-of-new-dragon-gate-inn\/","url_meta":{"origin":7891,"position":5},"title":"[Article] Cultural Memory, Queer Affect, and Digital Economies across the Adaptation Journey of New Dragon Gate Inn","author":"\u624b\u6c11\u51fa\u7248\u793e","date":"01\/06\/2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Author: Danqi Lu Source: Adaptation Link: https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1093\/adaptation\/apag016 Abstract Since its debut on 28 March 2023, the Yue opera adaptation of New Dragon Gate Inn has achieved widespread commercial success and viral visibility across Chinese social media platforms. Yet this is more than a story retold. The adaptive journey of the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Hong Kong Studies Newsroom"","block_context":{"text":"Hong Kong Studies Newsroom","link":"https:\/\/typesetter.hk\/en\/category\/%e9%a6%99%e6%b8%af%e5%ad%b8%e8%a1%93%e6%83%85%e5%a0%b1%e5%ae%a4-en\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/typesetter.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/article.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/typesetter.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/article.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/typesetter.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/article.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/typesetter.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/article.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/typesetter.hk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/article.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/typesetter.hk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7891","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/typesetter.hk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/typesetter.hk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/typesetter.hk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/145170531"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/typesetter.hk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7891"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/typesetter.hk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7891\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7892,"href":"https:\/\/typesetter.hk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7891\/revisions\/7892"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/typesetter.hk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6534"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/typesetter.hk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7891"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/typesetter.hk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7891"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/typesetter.hk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7891"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}