Cultural diversity has long been and remains a complex issue for its depiction and appreciation vary according to the historical, geographical or ethical context in which it is considered or the viewpoint from which it is observed. The articles published in this volume, written by European-based specialists in their own particular fields, draw on examples taken from the five continents to explore how diversity is questioned and negotiated both within and beyond the parameters of colonial or post-colonial experience. They thus offer substantial food for thought, by discussing the real or imagined other in different locations, at different periods, through different modes of expression (moving images on the small or large screen, photographs and drawings, alone or in association with the printed word), or by suggesting the discordant richness offered by simultaneous presence of conflicting narratives.