ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of key concepts discussed in this book. Through revisiting the Komagata Maru episode of 1914, this book foregrounds continuities between imperial and neoimperial machineries of surveillance, control and containment that regulate, obstruct and redirect movements within and outside the borders of nation states. The Komagata Maru is not a story of one century ago; it is a story about today. News about immigration visa delays and restrictions; daily reports on racial profiling and no-fly lists; escalating workplace raids and deportations; and the Safe Third Country Agreement are the stories of today, happening right now. The unique cultural history and geographical identity of Punjab has made it the most preferred site for making territorial claims, national boundaries and trans-national identities over the centuries. Through demonstrating that the British Empire functioned as a supranational organism that incorporated its dominions and colonies into its agenda, the book isolates intersections between British imperialism and Empire.
