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?
Hend Aly.
2. Which 4CITIES cohort were you a part of?
Cohort 10 (2017-2019).
3. Where and when were you born?
Cairo, 1990.
4. Where did you grow up?
Cairo.
5. What did you study before 4CITIES?
I did a master’s in political science, my research focused on urban politics and governance.
6. Why did you join 4CITIES?
I was curious about they city, urban politics and diversity. 4CITIES seemed the perfect place to learn more about what I am interested in.
7. What is your fondest memory from 4CITIES?
I have a lot of happy memories, the excursions were the best.
8. What was the most important thing you learned from 4CITIES?
4CITIES was very important for my academic and professional development. I believe that living with diversity is the most important thing I gained expreince in during 4CITIES.
9. What (if anything) have you studied since 4CITIES?
I am currently doing my PhD at UCL. My research focuses on migration in an urban context. The research is inspired by my studies at the 4CITIES and the fieldwork will be conducted in two cities I lived and studied in during my 4CITIES studies.
10. Where do you live now?
Cambridge, UK.
11. Where else would you like to live?
Vienna.
12. Which city have you never visited but would most like to?
Lisbon.
13. Where is your favorite non-urban place to be?
Outskirts of Cambridge and Vienna.
14. What kind of work are you currently doing?
PhD student.
15. What other work have you done since graduating?
I have worked for the UN Habitat in Cairo focusing on urban legislations and policy. I also worked at the University of Cambridge on coordinating interdisciplinary research and partnerships.
16. What job would you most like to attempt?
Funded research.
17. What urban-related job does not exist but should?
More research-based position at local and international organisations.
18. What about cities do you enjoy the most?
Diversity.
19. What about cities do you enjoy the least?
Inequality and injustice.
20. What about cities do you find most interesting?
The possibility of learning new things everyday and meeting different people.
21. What about cities do you think is over-emphasized or over-hyped?
Prioritising accumulating capital over equality and citizens’ access to their rights.
22. What about cities do you think is under-appreciated?
Diversity.
23. Why do you think urban studies is important?
Interdisciplinary urban studies are essential to understand the city, its complexities, multiple layers, people, power dynamics, etc.
24. What is one myth about cities that you would like to bust?
Urban growth over agricultural land is a necessity.
25. If you could time travel, what city and year would you visit?
Alexandria, 1930s.
26. What is your favorite imaginary city (from books, movies, etc.)?
Moonland by Shahriar Mandanipour.
27. What would you like real cities to learn or take from this imaginary city?
In our cities it is difficult to build collective imaginaries. However, in Moonland people had the power to imagine.
28. What books, authors, or films would you recommend to someone who wants to better understand “the urban”?
Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino. It was published in 1972.
29. What changes would make cities more livable?
Equal access to rights to all their inhabitants, being more welcome to diversity, being just and humane.
30. What are the most important changes cities must make in response to the sustainability crisis?
Deprioritise accumulating capital and catering for business and bringing people and their life quality back to the centre. This will help to steer towards convivial politics to approach homelessness, climate change, inequality, migration, etc.
31. If you could change one thing about your city, what would it be?
Homelessness.
32. What question have I not asked that you would like to ask other 4CITIES alumni?
—
You can find Hend at UCL and on LinkedIn.
