Focusing on the historical roots, current processes, and cultural impact of globalization, the Global Cultures Quadrant advances the research, development, publication and dissemination of interdisciplinary projects examining such issues as human rights, economic development, immigration, displacement, and migration. Global Cultures encourages and cultivates critical engagement between scholars working in anthropology, comparative literature, cultural studies, economics, law, political science, and gender and sexuality studies.

The group connects visiting scholars and Quadrant Fellows to intellectual communities on campus, such as the Institute for Global Studies, the Interdisciplinary Center for the Study of Global Change, the Global Programs and Strategy Alliance, and the IAS collaborative groups The HumanNonhuman Research Collaborative, The Making of Global Cities, Performance and Social Justice, and Transnational Film and Media Studies.