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?
Liz Dickman.
2. Which 4CITIES cohort were you a part of?
Cohort 03 (2010-2012).
3. Where and when were you born?
Salt Lake City, UT, USA in Dec. 1985.
4. Where did you grow up?
Salt Lake City.
5. What did you study before 4CITIES?
B.S. in environmental studies, minor in French.
6. Why did you join 4CITIES?
I was interested in learning more about urban development and urban planning, specifically in Europe where cities often seem more “livable” due to the human/ pedestrian scale especially of historic city centers.
7. What is your fondest memory from 4CITIES?
The bike excursions mostly in Wien (not faculty supported) and Copenhagen (faculty led). Also, breakfasts outside my first apartment in Madrid.
8. What was the most important thing you learned from 4CITIES?
History is responsible for much of urban physical structures and the current social context.
9. What (if anything) have you studied since 4CITIES?
GIS certificate.
10. Where do you live now?
Whidbey Island, WA, USA.
11. Where else would you like to live?
France or Spain, maybe Vienna or Switzerland.
12. Which city have you never visited but would most like to?
Pokhara, Nepal.
13. Where is your favorite non-urban place to be?
The mountains (splitboarding or snowboarding).
14. What kind of work are you currently doing?
Working for the county public health department as a “public health coordinator” – educational outreach and administration.
15. What other work have you done since graduating?
Snowboard/ ski instructor, cartographer, letter carrier, land use planner, barista, bilingual receptionist.
16. What job would you most like to attempt?
Working for the UN or an organization dedicated to mitigating climate change and the dangers it’s effects pose on people and other species.
17. What urban-related job does not exist but should?
Urging the US government to eliminate the electoral system (just kidding, sort of). Is there a job to promote accessibility to urban parks and playgrounds?
18. What about cities do you enjoy the most?
The diversity of things to do: museums, expos, concerts, and cultural events. As someone who now lives in a rural area I miss all of those things incredibly!
19. What about cities do you enjoy the least?
Cost of housing, traffic and noise.
20. What about cities do you find most interesting?
How one neighborhood can feel completely different from another in the same city and one person’s daily life in one neighborhood might closely resemble someone else’s in a different country, much more than in the same city. I guess the diversity of lives?
21. What about cities do you think is over-emphasized or over-hyped?
Access to good employment.
22. What about cities do you think is under-appreciated?
Cultural events and events generally.
23. Why do you think urban studies is important?
Urban studies is complex and interdisciplinary, this type of Masters program looks at the issue from many angles and in different locations. I think it’s important to have studies which can protect public access to spaces which may otherwise become private and accessible to only a sliver of society.
24. What is one myth about cities that you would like to bust?
That cities are mostly a good place to live for 18-50 year olds, I think people of all ages can benefit from living in cities.
25. If you could time travel, what city and year would you visit?
Athens circa 1000 AD.
26. What is your favorite imaginary city (from books, movies, etc.)?
Atlantis.
27. What would you like real cities to learn or take from this imaginary city?
As there is just a reference to this place in Plato’s work and I actually have not read it I know very little about it, but the idea of an Island city- state has some parallels to where I live now, though it is far from being a Utopia.
28. What books, authors, or films would you recommend to someone who wants to better understand “the urban”?
Georges Perec, Sabine Knierbein, Italo Calvino, Henri Lefebvre.
29. What changes would make cities more livable?
More affordable housing, less highways and freeways that create divisions in the urban fabric, less parking lots, more meals open for anyone organized by neighborhoods and sponsored by cities.
30. What are the most important changes cities must make in response to the sustainability crisis?
Phase out fossil fuels, create circular modes of use ( more reuse and recycling).
31. If you could change one thing about your city, what would it be?
I would move to a city! Seattle is the closest city that is internationally recognized and I would not live there because of 1) traffic and 2) cost of living (especially housing).
32. What question have I not asked that you would like to ask other 4CITIES alumni?
How did 4CITIES influence what kind of work you do now?
You can find Liz on LinkedIn.
