Rackham Interdisciplinary Workshops (RIW)

Supply chains are the backbone of the global economy. While the fragility, geography, and organization of global production networks are at the forefront of supply chain discourse, the people who make and study consumers’ products are often forgotten. Women especially play a critical role in the production of goods and services and global procurement.
The Women in Supply Chains (WiSC) Rackham Interdisciplinary Workshop (RIW) was created to understand these issues and create a space for graduate students interested in the intersection between gender and supply chains. WiSC researches gender disparities in supply chain scholarship and practice to advance awareness and pursue more equitable outcomes. We seek to bring together an interdisciplinary group to collaborate on topics related to our three research pillars: 1) supply chain discourse and governance, 2) supply chain gender inequities, and 3) barriers to equitable supply chain research and practice. Our interdisciplinary approach addresses the intersections of patriarchy, gender, power asymmetries, and economic exploitation in global production networks. Recent industry research shows that progress on gender representation in supply chains has stalled, demonstrating a need for sustained academic engagement (2024 Women in Supply Chain Survey Report | Gartner).
Research questions we plan to explore include:
To what extent do supply chain theory and discourse rely on or reinforce patriarchal values?What gender-based inequities and power asymmetries exist in global production networks? How can supply chain stakeholders mitigate these inequitiesWhat barriers do gender-marginalized individuals face as supply chain scholars or practitioners? How can we build community for people who work in supply chains?We plan to hold monthly events (approximately 1 hour) on a consistent day of the week (based on the availability of participants/guest speakers). We also plan to attend and promote events on campus (e.g., speakers, lectures) as they relate to gender and supply chains. Planned events include hands-on activities and treks, including a book club and a manufacturing site tour.

A Rackham Interdisciplinary Workshop examining how the humanities produce knowledge — and how humanists have understood, articulated, and contested their own ways of knowing.

Join us for the first meeting of the “Cultural Studies in a Time of Culture Wars” Rackham Interdisciplinary Workshop (RIW) on Friday September 18th, 4pm. This year we are pivoting to center our discussions to be critically relatable to daily experiences of culture. In preparation for our first session, we ask: what does “culture wars” mean to you and in what ways have you encountered the polarization of socio-political groups? You may think about your personal experiences in academia, your pedagogical approaches, the current political landscape, and even what you have tracked through online discourse on social media.

InSPIRE brings together graduate students and postdoctoral researchers from across the University of Michigan to engage with the intersection of science, technology, and public policy.

The Late Antique Reading Group (LARG) offers a formal space for thought-provoking, interdisciplinary conversations about the late antique world and its enduring relevance today.

RIW for all things Yiddish (Studies)

Join MiSciComm (formerly MiSciWriters) for in-person and virtual workshops designed to develop science communication skills!

No science communication experience required.
We are always welcoming new writers, editors, translators, and/or illustrators. If you'd like to join MiSciComm, fill out our membership form here. Our onboarding workshops are held once per semester and can be registered for below. Please reach out if you have any comments, questions, or concerns.

Please join the American Culture Consortium Rackham Interdisciplinary Workshop for our Welcome Session on Thursday Sept.
24, 2026 from 10:00 am – 11:30 am in Angel Hall, room 3241. We will discuss this year’s ACC workshop, meet fellow graduate students,
and partake in Panera coffee and pastries.


For the 2026-27 year, the ACC
workshop theme is Wisdom and Discernment in Research, centering Christopher
J. Pexa's Translated Nation: Rewriting the Dakhota Oyate, which
explores how the Dakhota [Dakota/Lakota/Nakota Sioux] people and culture have
been (mis)translated into the English language and US cultural meanings.
Pexa "rewrites" those translations by analyzing Dakota literature published
since the Dakota War of 1862 through an interpretive method guided by thióšpaye ethics.


Pexa’s literary and historical analysis inspires questions of
how "knowing" and "truths" in US research are communicated, translated, and
influenced by ideas of wisdom and discernment. Specific questions we might discuss are: How does culture influence what it means to be discerning and wise? How does research influence what it means to be discerning and wise?
How is discernment determined, and what constitutes wise discernment in US
culture and other, non-US cultures within the US academy? How does our own
research reflect our personal ideas of discernment and wisdom?