The systemic barriers—hierarchies, gatekeeping, exclusion policies—that institutions erect to prevent workers from developing their capacities, which must be identified and dismantled.
Sor Juana faced relentless institutional resistance: the Church limited her studies, society denied women intellectual authority, her superiors controlled her writing. She named these barriers explicitly, refusing to accept them as natural or inevitable. This concept asks: what institutional barriers prevent today's workers from flourishing? Precarious contracts prevent skill-building. Wage theft prevents financial stability. Abusive management prevents psychological safety. Discrimination prevents equal advancement. Excessive hours prevent rest and personal development. Sor Juana's example shows that naming institutional resistance is the first step toward dismantling it. Workers must recognize that obstacles to their growth—educational gatekeeping, artificial promotion barriers, wage suppression—are not personal failures but systemic injustices requiring collective action. Her tradition demands workers interrogate which institutional practices suppress their flourishing and organize to eliminate them. This connects worker justice to human development and the sacred right to become who you're capable of becoming.
Peri can explain this concept, give practical examples, help you decide whether it applies to your situation, or recommend a journey if appropriate.
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