Tobago dream for postcolonial reality in Latvia. How art can promote anti-racism and tolerance in a contemporary postcolonial society; Sit with a stranger / ; Tobago svajonė pokolonijinei Latvijos realybei. Kaip menas gali skatinti antirasizmą ir toleranciją šiuolaikinėje pokolonijinėje visuomenėje; Sėdėti su nepažįstamuoju.

The thesis addresses the issues of tolerance perception in postcolonial societies referring to the theoretical studies of postcolonialism and decolonial thought. The author researches why the Baltic States, and namely Latvia, can be viewed as postcolonial societies, how the theories of postcolonialism can be applied, and why these are relevant in the modern-day agenda. The work explores the post-Soviet experience from the postcolonial point of view, the theories of racism formation, attitudes towards the difference, and construction of the Other. Using Tobago (“the colony of the colonized”) case as a metaphor of liberation, since it has both a historical and emotional connection to Latvia, the author explores how it relates to the issues of “Europeanness” in Latvia, and how the postcolonial human condition can be reflected though art practices. The research has continued into the artwork consisting of a documentary photography project and a video essay addressing the issues of tolerance, diversity, and anti-racism in Latvia.