What happens when people of different cultural, religious, political and social backgrounds live in close contact with each other? This volume focuses on the encounter between European missionaries and indigenous people and aims to illuminate how life in a contact zone changed concepts, attitudes and practices. It collects examples from different world regions from early modern times to the middle of the twentieth century. The contributions discuss the concept of contact zones" and focus on the results of the intercultural encounter, thus demonstrating the impact life in a contact zone had on all those involved."