Teaching in the Institutional Cage: Metaphor and Collateral Oppression

This analysis is a philosophical exploration of Marilyn Frye's metaphor of the cage and Patricia Hill Collins' theory of intersecting oppressions. It argues that social structures and forms of oppressive knowledge make up the individual wires on each person's cage and that these work to confine individuals, particularly those in the schooling institution. The cage, however, remains in a state of flux as individuals transition into voluntary social groups (like the teaching profession). Thus, voluntary transitions into the profession can create scenarios where people experience either the intensification of existing barriers or the collateral acquisition of new oppressive wires.