Introduction : migration struggles, colonial legacies, and pandemic shifts

n an important sense, migratory movements challenge narrow conceptions of regionalism. The pressing of borders, the quest for freedom of movement, the conduct of life beyond the bearings of home—all suggest a questioning of the geographical and political coordinates that furnish the analytical units of area studies or world politics. We title this Against the Day section “Migrant Struggles in East and Southeast Asia” with appreciation of this predicament. Our intention is not to enclose experiences of migrant life and struggle within a strict regional frame. Rather, in bringing together contributions that engage with migrant struggles across locations in contemporary Asia, we seek to mark a dissonance and resonance with migrant projects in other parts of the world.