DISCO Affiliate Application

Our 2026 program will support scholars in developing both collaborative and individual writing projects that address and challenge digital social inequalities. Affiliates will receive feedback on their own works-in-progress while also engaging in the collaborative writing process with the support of the DISCO Network. A central component of the program is the DISCO JAM, where affiliates will gather in-person and work together in writing groups to produce a draft of a publishable piece. By the end of the program, participants will have refined their individual projects, contributed to a collaborative written piece, and prepared pitch plans for publication.

The program consists of monthly meetings held on Zoom from February through December 2026. Meetings will take place on the following dates*:

• Tuesday, February 10, 2026 at 3 - 5 PM ET

• Tuesday, March 17, 2026 at 3 - 5 PM ET

• Tuesday, April 14, 2026 at 3 - 5 PM ET

• Tuesday, May 12, 2026 at 3 - 5 PM ET

• Tuesday, June 9, 2026 at 3 - 5 PM ET

• Tuesday, August 11, 2026 at 3 - 5 PM ET

• Tuesday, September 8, 2026 at 3 - 5 PM ET

• Tuesday, October 13, 2026 at 3 - 5 PM ET

• Tuesday, November 10, 2026 at 3 - 5 PM ET

• Tuesday, December 8, 2026 at 3 - 5 PM ET

In addition to the monthly meetings, we will host an in-person gathering for all affiliates in July 2026 to engage in collaborative writing. The gathering will be held in Chicago, IL, with full travel support provided.

This program is open to all graduate students, early-career professionals, and junior faculty examining digital technology’s role in perpetuating inequality and seeking a supportive intellectual community.

To apply for the DISCO Affiliate Program, please submit your application here. The deadline is Sunday, January 11, 2026, at 11:59 PM.

If you have any questions about this program, please contact Cherice Chan, DISCO Network Program Coordinator, at chericec@umich.edu.