Membership refers to formal inclusion in a professional, academic, or scientific organization — often used to signal credibility, network access, and institutional alignment.

• Active membership – Participation in committees, working groups, or regular contributions to the organization’s goals.
• Passive membership – Annual dues paid for access to events, journals, or name inclusion, without actual involvement.
• Honorary membership – Given in recognition of past achievements or influence, often symbolic.
• Strategic membership – Obtained mainly to boost one’s CV or social capital.

A researcher lists 15 memberships on their CV, but has never contributed to a meeting, task force, or policy statement in any of them — this is *prestige through subscription*.

• Membership inflation – Accumulating memberships to appear more influential or connected.
• Name-dropping – Using prestigious society names to signal status without actual involvement.
• Credential padding – Inflating CVs for promotions, grants, or speaking invitations.

• Careerism
• Glossy CV
• Academic Theater
• Institutional Prestige

Bottom line: *Membership is meaningful when tied to contribution — otherwise, it's academic window dressing.*