ABSTRACT
This part introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters. The part discusses the theorization section on the contextualization of Southeast Asia within a larger region as well as the differentiation within Southeast Asia itself. It examines the formation of labor settlements, in which laborers depart from the stereotypes of rural daughters, wage laborers, migrants, and underprivileged citizens. The part also discusses how the city image caters to the desires of migrants. It also examines the marginalization of migrant laborers who are brought into Singapore to fulfill the demands in domestic care, construction and manufacturing, creating structured inequalities as a result of the formalization of everyday practices and prejudices into policies. The part describes a portion of the topic of migration, networks and identities in Southeast Asia's urbanization, particularly those related to economic forces.
