Nicole Wilson: The politics of a shifting middle class in Nigeria

As the middle class in Lagos retreats to private enclaves, political scientist Nicole Wilson ponders the impacts on democratic norms. Before her time at MIT, Nicole Wilson worked as a research assistant for two graduate students studying informal trade in Lagos, Nigeria. She was quickly captivated by the nation's vibrant commercial center, with its population of nearly 22 million. "I had never spent more than a week or two out of the country, but I convinced myself and the people hiring me that I was adaptable enough to make it work," says Wilson, a sixth-year doctoral candidate in political science. "My initial commitment was for three months, but I ended up loving the experience and extending it for about a year." During this period, Wilson learned of an event that shaped her academic future. "There was a demolition of a large informal settlement, where people were violently evicted from their homes," she recalls. Private landlords, with the support of Lagos State security forces, were clearing the land for a luxury, residential estate.