Blessings Masuku

Department: Architecture
Faculty Adviser: Hanna Garth
Year of Study:
Undergraduate School: Architecture
Undergraduate Major: Urban Studies

Personal Bio

I am an urban sociologist, human and urban geographer with background that cuts across the disciplines of Sociology, Development Studies, and Geography. My research interests include Southern urban studies mainly focusing on urban food and nutrition security, food governance systems, spatial justice, urban informality and everyday urbanism, and Southern infrastructural geographies in post-colonial African cities. I hold a PhD in Built Environment and Development Studies from the University of KwaZulu Natal in South Africa. I am passionate in teaching and imparting new knowledge and sharing my experiences with students and peers. I love watching news and hiking. Princeton is such a vibrant institution with a rich cultural diversity which brings everyone together to learn from each other and share experiences.

Fun Fact

i love my African food cuisine of inyama yenhloko (cow head meat) and mugodu (tripe). I love traveling to new places and so far Washington DC is my favourite destination. Well, I am not that into celebrities but i think Chris Tucker is a fun guy who always make me laugh.

Research Pitch

My research focuses on Southern Urban Studies where i study about food security and nutrition of marginalised and low income households in African cities. The literature gap that my work attempts to address is understanding how how food connects or does not connect to infrastructure systems, everyday urbanism and spatial planning. I use a qualitative research design mainly interviews and transact walks and mapping. This research aims to improve household food and nutrition security and contribiute to wider scholarly debates of Southern food and infrastructure studies.

Plans for Summer 2025

Interested in participating in Summer 2025 ReMatch+ program.