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Sandiswa (Zo) Mapukata is an MPhil/PhD candidate in Human Geography at the London School of Economics. Her research focuses on a comparative study of Black queer geographies in London and Johannesburg, two postcolonial cities. By exploring the spatial relationships between Blackness and queerness in urban settings, she seeks to understand the dynamics of belonging and safety among Black queer individuals. She employs various methodologies, including archival research and auto-ethnography, to examine Black queer spaces and events, such as Pride events and parties. Sandiswa's work also investigates how body functions contribute to the creation of transient spaces that allow for individual and collective expressions of identity and safety. Her academic contributions include published conference papers and articles on belonging, algorithmic control, and the socio-economic dynamics of the workforce within post-apartheid South Africa.
Future Work(ers) Research Project, Southern Centre for Inequality Studies • University of the Witwatersrand
Contributed to research focusing on labor processes and inequalities in the Global South.
Gauteng City-Region Observatory • University of the Witwatersrand/University of Johannesburg/Gauteng Provincial Government
Assisted in research related to urban development and planning in the Gauteng region.
Standard English requirement applies to most programs in Geography, Anthropology, Sociology, and Media.