1992 - the quincentenary of the discovery of America by Columbus - for the participants of the Greifswald conference this did not mean to celebrate but to reflect on the effects and consequences of this clash of cultures. The conference dealt with questions and problems of intercultural relations, racism and multiculturalism in North America and Great Britain. Various papers analyze the achievements of minorities and their contributions to an increasing understanding of minority-majority relationships. Examples range from the general (Native American literature in the USA, women writers) to the specific (Canadian Metis, problems of Pakistani children in Lancashire).