Dr. LAU, Pui Yan Flora 劉珮欣博士

Associate Head and Associate Professor
Curriculum Vitae

Contact

Office: Room LC837, Library Complex, Hong Kong Shue Yan University,

12 Wai Tsui Crescent, Braemar Hill, North Point, Hong Kong.
Phone: 21048241
Email: pylau@hksyu.edu

Academic and Professional Qualification

D.Phil. in Sociology, University of Oxford
M.Sc. in Sociology, University of Oxford
M.Phil. in Sociology, University of Hong Kong
B.Soc.Sc. in Sociology, University of Hong Kong

Specialism and Research Interests

Sociology of health
Healthcare policies
Ethnic minorities
Forced migration
Self and identity
Death and illness
Education and employment
Interdisciplinary research

Courses
Course offered in 2023-24

SOC 337          Criminology
SOC 356          Gender Relations
SOC 358          Poverty, Social Policy and Social Innovation
SOC 400          Senior Seminar
SOC 401-2       Honours Project

Course offered in previous years
SOC 107          Understanding Sociology         
SOC 259          Race and Ethnicity
SOC 405          Social Control
SOC 504          Individualization and the Family
GEC 102          The Struggling Self in the Global Society
 

Selected Publications

  1. Lau, P.Y.F. and Gheorghiu, I. Whispering against the Machine: secondary adjustments and other forms of everyday resistance among asylum seekers in Hong Kong. (Under review)
     
  2. Lau, P.Y.F. Book review for Breaking the Poverty Cycle: The Human Basis for Sustainable Development, by Pick, Susan and Jenna Sirkin. Poverty and Public Policy.  (Revision)
     
  3. Li, K.H and Lau, P.Y.F. (2023). The influence of social class on internship participation and outcomes in higher education: The case of Hong Kong. Asia Pacific Journal of Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/02188791.2023.2288530 [IF 2023: 1.6]
     
  4. Lau, P.Y.F. (2022) Book review for Leisure and forced migration: lives lived in asylum systems, Edited by Nicola de Martini Ugolotti and Jayne Caudwell. Leisure Studies, 41(4): 603-604. https://doi.org/10.1080/02614367.2022.2037153 [IF 2022: 3.31]
     
  5. Lau, P.Y.F. (2021). Empowerment in asylum seekers regime? The roles of policies, non-profit sector and refugee community organizations in Hong Kong. Journal of Refugee Studies, 34(1): 305-327. (https://academic.oup.com/jrs/article/34/1/305/5613781?guestAccessKey=4ed064cd-3572-4892-89b6-3ae711135a2b) [IF 2021: 2.966]
     
  6. Lau, P.Y.F. (2020). Fighting COVID-19: Social capital and community mobilisation in Hong Kong. International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, 40(9/10): 1059-1067. (https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSSP-08-2020-0377) [IF 2021: 2.23]
     
  7. Lau, P.Y.F. (2020). Bereavement and Loss. In D. Gu and M. Dupre (Eds.), Encyclopaedia of Gerontology and Population Aging. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-69892-2_505-1
     
  8. Choy, W.C., & Lau, P.Y.F. (2019). Cross-border to Taiwan but not China: The Decision-making Mechanisms of Hong Kong Students Pursuing Higher Education in Taiwan. Social Transformations in Chinese Societies, 15(1): 21-36.  https://doi.org/10.1108/STICS-06-2018-0012
     
  9. Lau, P.Y.F., & Gheorghiu, I. (2018). Vanishing Selves under Hong Kong’s Unified Screening Mechanism. Cultural Diversity in China, 3(1), 21-35.  https://doi.org/10.1515/cdc-2018-0003
     
  10. Lau, F.P.Y. (2015) Personal merits and social capital: The experiences of getting ahead among South Asians Minorities in Hong Kong. In C. Johnson (Ed.), Social Capital: Global Perspectives, Management Strategies and Effectiveness (pp.145-156). New York: Nova Science Publisher.
     
  11. Lau. P.Y.F. (2014). Coping with the death of singleton children in China: the role of social capital. International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, 34(5/6), 401-415. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSSP-06-2013-0065 [IF 2021: 2.23]
     
  12. Lau, P.Y.F. (2013). Advocating the rights of people with disabilities in China:  community-based rehabilitation approach. in G. Agarwal, S. Choudhary, and R. Gupta (Eds.), Human Rights in Changing Times (pp. 225-246). Cambridge: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
     
  13. Lau, P.Y.F. (2012). Rethinking asset-based community development strategies in post-earthquake China: The role of social capital. Poverty and Public Policy, 4(3), 35-48. https://doi.org/10.1002/pop4.3 [IF 2022: 0.95]
     
  14. Lau, P.Y.F. (2012). Recruitment and promotion: human resources management in book publishing. Saarbrücken, Germany: Lambert Academic Publishing. ISBN: 978-3-659-16647-1
     
  15. Lau, P.Y.F. (2009). Sociology of publishing: the role of social ties in external recruitment. International Journal of the Book, 6(3), 105-112.  https://doi.org/10.18848/1447-9516/CGP/v06i03/36756 

Research Projects

As Principal Investigator

  1. “How do ethnic minorities cope with cancer in Hong Kong? The role of public health services, social network and religion”, HK$947,631 funded by Research Grant Council (RGC), Faculty Development Scheme (FDS), 2021/22 Competitive Research Funding Schemes for the Local Self-financing Degree Sector, Jan 2022 – Dec 2023.
     
  2. “People without identity: Exploring the social experiences of asylum seekers in Hong Kong”, HK$437,000 funded by Research Grant Council (RGC), Faculty Development Scheme (FDS), 2015/16 Competitive Research Funding Schemes for the Local Self-financing Degree Sector, Jan 2016 – Dec 2017.
     
  3. “The expectation and decision making process for fresh university graduates: the role of social ties”, HK$18,600 funded by Research and Staff Development Committee (RSDC), Hong Kong Shue Yan University, Mar 2014 – Aug 2015.
     
  4. “Breaking through the barriers – Ethnic minority success stories and their implications for policy intervention in Hong Kong”, HK$8,900 funded by Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC), Jan 2014 – Jan 2015.


Selected Talks (Since 2022)

  • ‘Handling mental health issues of migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong: The role of NGO and community life’, hosted by Department of English and Communication at PolyU in collaboration with Pathfinders and Mission for Migrant Workers on 24th May 2024
  • ‘Inspirational message’, a short speech presented at Cancer Awareness Symposium for Migrants: You are not alone, hosted by Filipino Migrants Support for Cancer Society (FILMCASS HK) on 12th November 2023
  • Invited speaker, ‘Breast and cervical cancer: places to seek help in Hong Kong’, hosted by Social Justice for Migrant Workers on 26th February 2023
  • Panellist of the discussion, ‘The essence of building resilience in the multicultural community’, Ethnic Minorities Multicultural Assembly 2022, hosted by Health In Action on 26th November 2022
  • Invited speaker, ‘Careers in Academia’, St Cross Careers Programme Hilary Term 2022, hosted by St Cross College, University of Oxford on 2nd March 2022
  • Invited speaker, ‘Culture of tourism in Hong Kong: a sociological perspective（從社會學的角度看香港旅遊文化）’, at香港文學文化座談會, co-organized by Departments of Chinese Language and Literature, History and Sociology at HKSYU on 22nd January 2022


Selected Conference Presentations (Since 2022)

  • Lau, P.Y.F. (2023, December). Mobilizing healthcare resources through social capital: the case of ethnic minority cancer patients in Hong Kong. Paper to be presented at the 24th Annual Conference of the Hong Kong Sociological Association, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, HK.
  • Lau, P.Y.F. (2023, September). A critical evaluation of cultural competence in medical sector: perspectives of ethnic minority cancer patients and local healthcare professionals in Hong Kong. Paper to be presented at BSA Medical Sociology Conference 2023, University of Sussex, UK. (Online)
  • Lau, P.Y.F. (2023, August). Researching asylum seekers and ethnic minority cancer patients in Hong Kong: some methodological and ethical concerns. Paper presented at Centre for Experimental Social Science, Nuffield College, in partnership with the UNICEF Regional Office for East Asia and Pacific, Oxford, UK.
  • Lau, P.Y.F. (2023, June). Healing through social media: Experiences of ethnic minority cancer patients and survivors in Hong Kong. Paper presented at RC16 Sociology of Health, XX International Sociological Association, World Congress of Sociology. Melbourne, Australia. 
  • Lau, P.Y.F. (2023, June). Surviving detention: how do service providers contribute to social adjustment and integration of asylum seekers in Hong Kong?. Paper presented at Society for Hong Kong Studies  (SHKS) Annual Conference 2023, HK. 
  • Lau, P.Y.F. (2022, December). Mobilizing social capital in times of social distancing: digital communication among ethnic minority cancer patients in Hong Kong. Paper presented at the 23rd Annual Conference of the Hong Kong Sociological Association, Lingnan University, HK.


Other academic activities

  • Academic Assessor, Advanced Diploma in Applied Social Sciences (Psychology/Counselling) and Advanced Diploma in Applied Social Sciences (Corrections), HKU SPACE (Jul 2023 – present)
  • External Examiner, Department of General Education and Language Studies of Caritas Bianchi Colleage of Careers (CBCC) and School of Humanities and Languages of Caritas Institute of Higher Education (CIHE) (Jan 2023 – present)
  • Member of Multidisciplinary Review Panel, New Frontiers in Research Fund 2022 Special Call – Research for Postpandemic Recovery, Canada Research Coordinating Committee (CRCC) (May – Dec 2022)
  • Session Co-organizer, RC31 Sociology of Migration, XX International Sociological Association (ISA), World Congress of Sociology. Session title: Migration in Asia – Integration and Cultural Diversity. Melbourne, Australia, 25th June – 1st July 2023
  • Member of Programme Review Panel, HKU SPACE (2022)
  • Editorial Advisory Board Member, International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy (2021 - now)
  • External Examiner/ External Academic Advisor, Lingnan Institute of Further Education (LIFE) (2013-2020/ 2020-23)