According to Vanity Fair, “the Proust Questionnaire has its origins in a parlor game popularized (though not devised) by Marcel Proust, the French essayist and novelist, who believed that, in answering these questions, an individual reveals his or her true nature.” Inspired by the Proust Questionnaire, we have put together a set of 32 questions designed to reveal the true nature of 4CITIES alumni. Or to at least give us some insight into what they are up to and what makes them, as students of “the urban”, tick.
1. What is your name?
Matevz.
2. Which 4CITIES cohort were you a part of?
Cohort 07 (2014-2016).
3. Where and when were you born?
Ljubljana (Slovenia), 1988.
4. Where did you grow up?
Idrija (Slovenia).
5. What did you study before 4CITIES?
B.A. in Analytical Sociology + M.A. in Market Communication.
6. Why did you join 4CITIES?
To understand and change cities and towns.
7. What is your fondest memory from 4CITIES?
New friendships and colleagues.
8. What was the most important thing you learned from 4CITIES?
A city is a mess. One does not solve a mess, one needs to manage mess.
9. What (if anything) have you studied since 4CITIES?
Nothing.
10. Where do you live now?
Idrija (Slovenia).
11. Where else would you like to live?
Nowhere.
12. Which city have you never visited but would most like to?
Tokyo.
13. Where is your favorite non-urban place to be?
My weekend house (farmhouse).
14. What kind of work are you currently doing?
Leading digital heritage projects.
15. What other work have you done since graduating?
At local municipality as a project leader.
16. What job would you most like to attempt?
Consulting.
17. What urban-related job does not exist but should?
City Strategist.
18. What about cities do you enjoy the most?
Diversity.
19. What about cities do you enjoy the least?
Chaos.
20. What about cities do you find most interesting?
How different they are.
21. What about cities do you think is over-emphasized or over-hyped?
Smart City.
22. What about cities do you think is under-appreciated?
Little urban spaces.
23. Why do you think urban studies is important?
Yes.
24. What is one myth about cities that you would like to bust?
That they are the only future.
25. If you could time travel, what city and year would you visit?
Rome
26. What is your favorite imaginary city (from books, movies, etc.)?
/
27. What would you like real cities to learn or take from this imaginary city?
/
28. What books, authors, or films would you recommend to someone who wants to better understand “the urban”?
Richard Florida 🙂
29. What changes would make cities more livable?
Abolishment of global capitalism.
30. What are the most important changes cities must make in response to the sustainability crisis?
Degrowth strategies.
31. If you could change one thing about your city, what would it be?
The pessimism of its people.
32. What question have I not asked that you would like to ask other 4CITIES alumni?
/
You can find Matevz on LinkedIn.
