affiliation

Affiliation refers to the state of being officially connected with or associated with a person, group, organization, or cause. It describes a link or association rather than complete ownership or control, and can range from formal membership to looser ties such as partnership or sponsorship.

Common types include political affiliation, which denotes alignment with a political party or ideology; religious affiliation, indicating association with a faith; corporate or organizational affiliation, describing a person’s link to a company, university, research institute, government body, or non-profit; and academic affiliation, which is the institution with which a scholar is or was associated and that is typically listed in publications.

Affiliations matter for credibility, accountability, and governance. They influence how information is interpreted, how resources are allocated, and how conflicts of interest are identified. In data systems, affiliation fields help organize records, attribute authorship, and support searching and analytics, while also raising privacy considerations when linked to individuals.

Affiliation is distinct from membership in that it can be temporary, informal, or honorary, and it may reflect geographic, institutional, or historical ties rather than ongoing engagement. Verification and policy rules often govern how affiliations are established and disclosed.

See also: membership, alliance, partnership, corporate affiliation, institutional affiliation.