Abstract

This chapter canvases some notable historical accounts of the philosophical dimensions of work within the context of Latin American philosophy, including reflections by Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, José Vasconcelos, José Mariategui, and Rosario Castellanos. The chapter examines how labor was conceptualized prior to the European invasion of the Americas, and how labor figured in philosophical discussions of colonialism, socialism, capitalism, and resistance. It also discusses the socioeconomic conditions that shaped labor practices prior to, during, and after European colonization of the Americas. The chapter also considers various philosophical discussions of the way in which social identities—being a woman, being Indigenous, and so on—interacted with labor practices. In so doing, the chapter highlights the ways in which Latin American philosophy addresses the role of work in the construction of collective identity and social transformation.