Drawn from an array of possible contexts, the sites for comparison in the GLOBALDIVERCITIES project have been specifically chosen for a number of reasons. Processes of diversification and the layering of ‘old’ and ‘new’ diversities are understudied. Therefore, the choice of cities - New York, Singapore, and Johannesburg - has been made according to ‘diverse case’ selection strategy in order to take account of multiple variables leading to typological theorizing. Here, variables refer to possible modes, constraints and opportunities of diversity encounter.