Schutte's first publications were a feminist interpretation of Friedrich Nietzsche: her dissertation, which shared a title with her first book, . In this book, she agrees with Nietzche's efforts to deconstruct dualism and rejects nihilism as part of a dualist philosophy. However, she criticizes the political implications Nietzsche writes into his work. Her second book, Cultural Identity and Social Liberation in Latin American Thought, discussed the interaction of activist movements and the progressive philosophies behind them in 20th century Latin America. It was instrumental in bringing Latin American philosophy and thought to the United States. She was also one of the first philosophers to publish on Latin America in the United States, shortly behind Jorge Gracia.