["Asia Pacific Viewpoint, EarlyView. ", "\nABSTRACT\nContemporary rural change in Southeast Asia is shaped by complex, intersecting forces that defy simplistic narratives. Researchers must therefore develop new ways to grasp nuanced, non‐linear, and locally specific processes to understand how transformational shifts may occur (or not) in the region. This collection of articles explores how climate change, agrarian dynamics, and knowledge politics intersect to produce ‘adaptive spaces’, where potential transformative responses can emerge. This special issue develops a heuristic for understanding the spaces where diverse knowledges intersect, challenging traditional power dynamics in knowledge production and policymaking, and building grounded responses to climate change while nurturing climate justice in ways that shape future policy and practice.\n"]