Discourse surrounding refugee protection in the Asian context often presumes the absence of relevant legal norms since most states in the region have not acceded to the 1951 Convention related to the status of refugees. Given continuing resistance to accession, some claim that Asia has essentially “rejected“ refugee law. Others suggest that states have nevertheless developed effective legal responses and there is potential for further reform. The papers in this panel will explore these questions and challenge common assumptions through an examination of legal responses in Asia and the Middle East. While these jurisdictions in many ways remain at the borders of the international refugee regime, they also exist at the centre of the current international refugee crisis. What issues remain in law and practice in these “zones of exception“?