The Cultural Political Geographies of Globalization strand has partly worked on Europe, widely defined. Europe provided contrasting experiences of state institutionalization, conceptions of nationalisms, and geopolitical positions. The group also engages in comparative studies elsewhere (in Africa and Asia) to widen the diversity of the experiences of state territoriality, geopolitics, and globalizations under study. The role of Europe in the world becomes a key theme; fluctuating transatlantic relations within the West) on the one hand and the relations of the European Union with its many Eastern "others": Russia, the Middle East, India and Asia on the other hand, as well as with its ‘neighbours' to the South, across the Mediterranean.

The comparative financial geographies strand is currently focused on making comparisons between well established financial centres in Europe and North America, comparing developments in Amsterdam with those of other financial centres in those areas. The credit crisis of 2007/8 and ongoing geopolitical shift demand comparisons with developments in Southeast-Asian Financial Centers. The aim is to set up collaborative relations with geographers working in that area as a first step towards settings up a full blown comparison between Europe and Asia.

The changing geographies of urban economies theme also conduct local (Amsterdam and Netherlands) research in tandem with work especially in other European and Asian global cities.