The election of an American president with African roots and a Pacific homeland symbolizes a profound change that extends far beyond the United States. The five-hundred-year triumph of the "white man" is history. The formerly colonial world is in the midst of a transformation—demographically, economically, and politically. It is turning away from the West, seeking new role models, and rediscovering its own strengths and traditions. The standards of the world are being realigned; yesterday's losers are tomorrow's winners. With his unique sensitivity to historical changes, Peter Scholl-Latour describes his recent impressions from Southeast Asia and Latin America, the two most dynamic regions of the new era. He impressively sheds light on the current conflicts and upheavals in these countries against the backdrop of their colonial past.