The Right to Self-Directed Learning

Sor Juana's autobiography documents her hunger for learning despite systematic exclusion from formal education as a woman in 17th-century Mexico. She taught herself languages, theology, mathematics, and philosophy through relentless self-education, establishing the principle that knowledge-seeking is an inalienable right. This concept frames civil disobedience as resistance to gatekeepers who restrict access to learning based on identity, status, or ideology. When institutions—whether religious hierarchies, governments, or corporations—attempt to monopolize knowledge or suppress inquiry, this framework justifies non-compliance as defense of human dignity. Across traditions, it resonates with struggles for literacy rights, academic freedom, and intellectual pluralism, recognizing that those denied educational access have historically been those most controlled by power.