diff --git a/.rubocop_todo.yml b/.rubocop_todo.yml
index e2516b0..e6e3be4 100644
--- a/.rubocop_todo.yml
+++ b/.rubocop_todo.yml
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 # Offense count: 1
 # Configuration parameters: CountComments, CountAsOne, AllowedMethods, AllowedPatterns.
 Metrics/MethodLength:
-  Max: 12
+  Max: 13
 
 # Offense count: 6
 # Configuration parameters: CountAsOne.
diff --git a/lib/transmutation/association.rb b/lib/transmutation/association.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c559356
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/transmutation/association.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+module Transmutation
+  # @api private
+  #
+  # An association: resolves the associated object (via a block or a method on the object) and
+  # serializes it with the looked up serializer, one level deeper. Only rendered within `max_depth`.
+  class Association < Field
+    def initialize(name, namespace: nil, serializer: nil, **options, &block)
+      super(name, **options, &block)
+
+      @namespace = namespace
+      @serializer = serializer
+    end
+
+    def render?(serializer)
+      super && serializer.depth < serializer.max_depth
+    end
+
+    def value(serializer, options)
+      target = block ? serializer.instance_exec(&block) : serializer.object.send(name)
+
+      serializer.serialize(
+        target,
+        namespace: @namespace,
+        serializer: @serializer,
+        depth: serializer.depth + 1,
+        max_depth: serializer.max_depth,
+        context: serializer.context
+      ).as_json(options)
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/transmutation/attribute.rb b/lib/transmutation/attribute.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bd91072
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/transmutation/attribute.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+module Transmutation
+  # @api private
+  #
+  # A plain attribute: either a block evaluated in the serializer's context, or a method sent to the
+  # serialized object.
+  class Attribute < Field
+    def value(serializer, _options)
+      block ? serializer.instance_exec(&block) : serializer.object.send(name)
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/transmutation/field.rb b/lib/transmutation/field.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b991315
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/transmutation/field.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+module Transmutation
+  # @api private
+  #
+  # Base class for a serializable field. Encapsulates the name, the precomputed JSON key, and the
+  # optional `if:`/`unless:` rendering conditions shared by attributes and associations.
+  class Field
+    attr_reader :name, :key
+
+    def initialize(name, **options, &block)
+      @name = name
+      @key = name.to_s.freeze
+      @block = block
+      @if = options[:if]
+      @unless = options[:unless]
+    end
+
+    # Whether this field should be rendered for the given serializer instance.
+    def render?(serializer)
+      return false if @if && !evaluate(@if, serializer)
+      return false if @unless && evaluate(@unless, serializer)
+
+      true
+    end
+
+    private
+
+    attr_reader :block
+
+    # A Symbol condition is sent to the serializer; anything else (e.g. a Proc) runs in its context.
+    def evaluate(condition, serializer)
+      condition.is_a?(Symbol) ? serializer.send(condition) : serializer.instance_exec(&condition)
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/transmutation/serialization.rb b/lib/transmutation/serialization.rb
index 728f9f5..70e4e6a 100644
--- a/lib/transmutation/serialization.rb
+++ b/lib/transmutation/serialization.rb
@@ -8,12 +8,14 @@ module Serialization
     # @param namespace [String, Symbol, Module] The namespace to lookup the serializer in.
     # @param serializer [String, Symbol, Class] The serializer to use.
     # @param max_depth [Integer] The maximum depth of nested associations to serialize.
+    # @param context [Object] Arbitrary context made available to the serializer as `#context`.
+    #   Defaults to the caller (e.g. the controller), so serializers can reach `context.current_user`.
     #
     # @return [Transmutation::Serializer] The serialized object. This will respond to `#as_json` and `#to_json`.
-    def serialize(object, namespace: nil, serializer: nil, depth: 0, max_depth: Transmutation.max_depth)
-      return serialize_collection(object, namespace:, serializer:, depth:, max_depth:) if collection?(object)
+    def serialize(object, namespace: nil, serializer: nil, depth: 0, max_depth: Transmutation.max_depth, context: self)
+      return serialize_collection(object, namespace:, serializer:, depth:, max_depth:, context:) if collection?(object)
 
-      lookup_serializer(object, namespace:, serializer:).new(object, depth:, max_depth:)
+      lookup_serializer(object, namespace:, serializer:).new(object, depth:, max_depth:, context:)
     end
 
     # Lookup the serializer for the given object.
@@ -58,19 +60,19 @@ def collection?(object)
     #
     # Items of the same class resolve to the same serializer, so the lookup is memoised on the item's
     # class and reused across siblings rather than rebuilding the cache key (and hashing it) per item.
-    def serialize_collection(collection, namespace:, serializer:, depth:, max_depth:)
+    def serialize_collection(collection, namespace:, serializer:, depth:, max_depth:, context:)
       serializer_class = nil
       serialized_class = nil
 
       collection.map do |item|
-        next serialize(item, namespace:, serializer:, depth:, max_depth:) if collection?(item)
+        next serialize(item, namespace:, serializer:, depth:, max_depth:, context:) if collection?(item)
 
         if item.class != serialized_class
           serializer_class = lookup_serializer(item, namespace:, serializer:)
           serialized_class = item.class
         end
 
-        serializer_class.new(item, depth:, max_depth:)
+        serializer_class.new(item, depth:, max_depth:, context:)
       end
     end
 
diff --git a/lib/transmutation/serialization/rendering.rb b/lib/transmutation/serialization/rendering.rb
index 2f99712..8933ebb 100644
--- a/lib/transmutation/serialization/rendering.rb
+++ b/lib/transmutation/serialization/rendering.rb
@@ -19,11 +19,12 @@ def render(options = nil, **kwargs)
         namespace = kwargs.delete(:namespace)
         serializer = kwargs.delete(:serializer)
         max_depth = kwargs.delete(:max_depth) || Transmutation.max_depth
+        context = kwargs.delete(:context) { self }
 
         return super(**kwargs) unless json
         return super(**kwargs, json:) unless should_serialize
 
-        super(**kwargs, json: serialize(json, namespace:, serializer:, max_depth:))
+        super(**kwargs, json: serialize(json, namespace:, serializer:, max_depth:, context:))
       end
     end
   end
diff --git a/lib/transmutation/serializer.rb b/lib/transmutation/serializer.rb
index 4c3ea30..f9c4388 100644
--- a/lib/transmutation/serializer.rb
+++ b/lib/transmutation/serializer.rb
@@ -20,10 +20,11 @@ class Serializer
 
     include Transmutation::Serialization
 
-    def initialize(object, depth: 0, max_depth: 1)
+    def initialize(object, depth: 0, max_depth: 1, context: nil)
       @object = object
       @depth = depth
       @max_depth = max_depth
+      @context = context
     end
 
     def to_json(options = {})
@@ -31,11 +32,8 @@ def to_json(options = {})
     end
 
     def as_json(options = {})
-      attributes_config.each_with_object({}) do |(attr_name, attr_options), hash|
-        next if attr_options[:conditional] && !render_field?(attr_options)
-        next if attr_options[:association] && @depth + 1 > @max_depth
-
-        hash[attr_name.to_s] = field_value(attr_name, attr_options, options)
+      fields.each_with_object({}) do |field, hash|
+        hash[field.key] = field.value(self, options) if field.render?(self)
       end
     end
 
@@ -60,7 +58,7 @@ class << self
       #     attribute :email, if: :admin?
       #   end
       def attribute(attribute_name, **options, &block)
-        attributes_config[attribute_name] = field_config({ block: }, options)
+        fields[attribute_name] = Attribute.new(attribute_name, **options, &block)
       end
 
       # Define an association to be serialized
@@ -70,6 +68,8 @@ def attribute(attribute_name, **options, &block)
       # @param association_name [Symbol] The name of the association to serialize
       # @param namespace [String, Symbol, Module] The namespace to lookup the association's serializer in
       # @param serializer [String, Symbol, Class] The serializer to use for the association's serialization
+      # @param if [Symbol, Proc] Only include the association when the condition evaluates truthy
+      # @param unless [Symbol, Proc] Exclude the association when the condition evaluates truthy
       # @yield [object] The block to call to get the value of the association
       #   - The block is called in the context of the serializer instance
       #   - The return value from the block is automatically serialized
@@ -82,14 +82,8 @@ def attribute(attribute_name, **options, &block)
       #       object.posts.archived
       #     end
       #   end
-      def association(association_name, namespace: nil, serializer: nil, **options, &custom_block)
-        block = lambda do
-          association_instance = custom_block ? instance_exec(&custom_block) : object.send(association_name)
-
-          serialize(association_instance, namespace:, serializer:, depth: @depth + 1, max_depth: @max_depth)
-        end
-
-        attributes_config[association_name] = field_config({ block:, association: true }, options)
+      def association(association_name, namespace: nil, serializer: nil, **options, &block)
+        fields[association_name] = Association.new(association_name, namespace:, serializer:, **options, &block)
       end
 
       # Shorthand for defining multiple attributes
@@ -123,52 +117,26 @@ def associations(*association_names, **, &)
       alias belongs_to associations
       alias has_one associations
       alias has_many associations
-
-      private
-
-      # Merge conditional rendering options into a field's config.
-      #
-      # The `:conditional` flag lets {#as_json} skip condition evaluation entirely for fields that
-      # don't declare `if:`/`unless:`, keeping the common path a single hash lookup.
-      def field_config(config, options)
-        return config unless options[:if] || options[:unless]
-
-        config.merge(if: options[:if], unless: options[:unless], conditional: true)
-      end
     end
 
-    private
-
-    class_attribute :attributes_config, instance_writer: false, default: {}
-
-    attr_reader :object
-
-    # Resolve the value for a field: a serialized association, a block result, or a method call.
-    def field_value(attr_name, attr_options, options)
-      return instance_exec(&attr_options[:block]).as_json(options) if attr_options[:association]
-      return instance_exec(&attr_options[:block]) if attr_options[:block]
+    # @return [Object] the object being serialized
+    # @return [Integer] depth the current nesting depth
+    # @return [Integer] max_depth the maximum nesting depth to serialize
+    # @return [Object, nil] context the caller-supplied context (defaults to the caller of `serialize`)
+    attr_reader :object, :depth, :max_depth, :context
 
-      object.send(attr_name)
-    end
-
-    # Evaluate the `if:`/`unless:` conditions for a field.
-    #
-    # Only called for fields flagged `:conditional`, so unconditional fields incur no overhead.
-    def render_field?(attr_options)
-      return false if attr_options[:if] && !evaluate_condition(attr_options[:if])
-      return false if attr_options[:unless] && evaluate_condition(attr_options[:unless])
+    private
 
-      true
-    end
+    class_attribute :fields, instance_accessor: false, default: {}
 
-    # A Symbol condition is sent to the serializer; a Proc (or other callable) is run in its context.
-    def evaluate_condition(condition)
-      condition.is_a?(Symbol) ? send(condition) : instance_exec(&condition)
+    # The fields declared on this serializer, in declaration order.
+    def fields
+      self.class.fields.values
     end
 
     private_class_method def self.inherited(subclass)
       super
-      subclass.attributes_config = attributes_config.dup
+      subclass.fields = fields.dup
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/lib/transmutation/serialization_spec.rb b/spec/lib/transmutation/serialization_spec.rb
index 2b2c4a0..a4430eb 100644
--- a/spec/lib/transmutation/serialization_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/transmutation/serialization_spec.rb
@@ -241,4 +241,64 @@ def initialize(id:)
       end
     end
   end
+
+  describe "context" do
+    before do
+      stub_const("Api::V1::Admin::Chat::UserSerializer", Class.new(Transmutation::Serializer))
+    end
+
+    it "defaults the context to the caller" do
+      expect(caller.serialize(object).context).to be(caller)
+    end
+
+    it "uses an explicit context when provided" do
+      given_context = Object.new
+
+      expect(caller.serialize(object, context: given_context).context).to be(given_context)
+    end
+
+    context "when serializing associations" do
+      let(:context_class) do
+        Class.new do
+          def initialize(visible:)
+            @visible = visible
+          end
+
+          attr_reader :visible
+          alias_method :visible?, :visible
+        end
+      end
+
+      before do
+        author_class = Class.new do
+          def name = "Jane"
+        end
+
+        post_class = Class.new do
+          define_method(:author) { @author ||= Ctx::Author.new }
+        end
+
+        stub_const("Ctx::Author", author_class)
+        stub_const("Ctx::Post", post_class)
+        stub_const("Ctx::AuthorSerializer", Class.new(Transmutation::Serializer) do
+          attribute :name, if: -> { context.visible? }
+        end)
+        stub_const("Ctx::PostSerializer", Class.new(Transmutation::Serializer) do
+          belongs_to :author
+        end)
+      end
+
+      it "propagates the context to associated serializers" do
+        serialized = Ctx::PostSerializer.new(Ctx::Post.new, context: context_class.new(visible: true), max_depth: 2)
+
+        expect(serialized.as_json).to eq({ "author" => { "name" => "Jane" } })
+      end
+
+      it "lets associated serializers gate attributes on the shared context" do
+        serialized = Ctx::PostSerializer.new(Ctx::Post.new, context: context_class.new(visible: false), max_depth: 2)
+
+        expect(serialized.as_json).to eq({ "author" => {} })
+      end
+    end
+  end
 end
diff --git a/spec/lib/transmutation/serializer_spec.rb b/spec/lib/transmutation/serializer_spec.rb
index 84a002e..aae22a2 100644
--- a/spec/lib/transmutation/serializer_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/transmutation/serializer_spec.rb
@@ -139,4 +139,36 @@ def admin?
       end
     end
   end
+
+  describe "context" do
+    let(:context_class) do
+      Class.new do
+        def initialize(admin:)
+          @admin = admin
+        end
+
+        attr_reader :admin
+        alias_method :admin?, :admin
+      end
+    end
+
+    let(:example_serializer) do
+      Class.new(Transmutation::Serializer) do
+        attribute :first_name
+        attribute :last_name, if: -> { context.admin? }
+      end
+    end
+
+    it "exposes the context to conditions and includes the attribute when it passes" do
+      serialized = example_serializer.new(example_object, context: context_class.new(admin: true))
+
+      expect(serialized.as_json).to eq({ "first_name" => "John", "last_name" => "Doe" })
+    end
+
+    it "excludes the attribute when the context condition fails" do
+      serialized = example_serializer.new(example_object, context: context_class.new(admin: false))
+
+      expect(serialized.as_json).to eq({ "first_name" => "John" })
+    end
+  end
 end