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One of my primary areas of research involves the piping culture in former British colonies in the Far East, specifically focusing on Hong Kong and British Malaya. My work explores the historical development, cultural meanings, and sociopolitical functions of Scottish bagpiping in these regions.
My broader academic interests span:
Scottish music and postcolonial cultural identity
Colonial military traditions and civic ritual soundscapes
Hong Kong society under late/post‑colonial transition
Cultural policy, heritage, and decolonisation
Diaspora, memory, and community music-making
A curated selection of photographs, archival scans, survey materials, interview transcripts, and fieldwork videos is shared on my research blog, where I document ongoing insights into the piping cultures of the Far East.
Publications
I have a wide range of academic publications on Scottish music, politics, Hong Kong society, British colonial history, colonialism, diaspora, and Freemasonry. My research draws on interdisciplinary methods, combining archival study, ethnographic fieldwork, historical analysis, and sociological perspectives. I regularly publish on themes related to cultural transmission, identity formation, and the evolving role of Scottish bagpiping in postcolonial Hong Kong and the wider Far East.
Knowledge Exchange
As a sociologist and ethnomusicologist, my work places strong emphasis on facilitating knowledge exchange. I actively collaborate with the communities I study, aiming to create mutually beneficial forms of learning and cultural transmission.
In 2018 and 2019, I allocated part of my research funding to organise two one‑week piping and drumming summer schools in Hong Kong.
The instructors included:
Major Bruce Hitchings MBE BEM, former Chief Instructor, British Army Bagpipe School
Brian Alexander, former Drum Instructor, British Army Bagpipe School
Robert Watt, former member, Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band
These programmes included:
Examinations recognised by the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework
Open competitions for participants and non‑participants
Sponsorship from McCallum Bagpipes
Prize presentation by Dr Gavin Ure, former Chieftain of the Hong Kong St Andrew’s Society
Ten fully supported places for young pipers and drummers
This initiative strengthens piping education in Hong Kong and demonstrates my commitment to connecting academic research with community development.
Brian Alexander teaching at the summer school
Bruce Hitchings teaching at the summer school
Teaching
I have taught a range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses that reflect my interdisciplinary academic background in sociology, ethnomusicology, political science, and development studies. These teaching experiences have allowed me to engage with students across different disciplines while integrating my own research into classroom discussions.
PLIT08009 - Introduction to political data analysis
This course will introduce students to political data analysis using domestic and international data. It will explore how to access relevant data and assess the appropriateness of data. It will provide key skills in quantitative data analysis, including descriptive statistics, cross-tab/contingency tables, measures of association, correlation and regression. These techniques will be used to answer different aspects of the same research question.
PGSP11247 - Political issues in public policy
The course covers theories of governance, the political system and policy-making; the processes of public policy; agencies and organisations within government; policy implementation and policy networks; multi-level governance and the distribution of powers between levels and agencies of government; the reasons for the success or failure of policies.
SCAN11027 - Anthropology of international development
The primary objective of the course is to understand the structural contexts and contingent elements that surround the making (and unmaking) of development projects around the world. To do so, we will bring key anthropological and ethnographic concepts from patronage, expertise, and power to money, gifts, and debt to bear on practices of state-led development, market-driven approaches, and third-sector endeavors.
Press Interviews
I have been interviewed on topics related to Scottish bagpiping, Hong Kong cultural policy, postcolonial music history, and identity formation, contributing research-based insights to public discussions. My media appearances focus on academic and cultural analysis, and I welcome interview requests related to my areas of expertise. For enquiries, please contact me through the Contact page.
Interview (South China Morning Post)
Radio Broadcasting and Political Commentary
Common Sense
Google Sites
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