Nicole Wilson
Graduate Research Fellow
email newilson@mit.edu
twitter @nicolelizwilson
Nicole Wilson is a PhD student in the Department of Political Science at MIT, where she studies comparative politics and methods. Her research interests include informality, urban property rights, political engagement and intra-community dynamics, with a regional focus on West Africa. Before coming to MIT, Nicole spent a year working as a research assistant on a study of informal trade in Lagos, Nigeria. She has a master’s degree in Justice, Law, and Society from American University and a BA in sociology from the University of Georgia. With GOV/LAB, Nicole has worked on a project exploring informal settlements in Lagos, including administering a survey about eviction threats and political participation.
Projects
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Research November 2022
Growth or Goods: Examining Tax Morale Among Property Owners in Lagos
Nicole Wilson & Leah Rosenzweig published a working paper with the International Centre for Tax and Development on taxation in Lagos, Nigeria.
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News February 2023
Paying Taxes without Receiving Services: Informal Settlements in Lagos
In research published in the journal Studies in Comparative International Development, MIT GOV/LAB researchers look at factors influencing people’s willingness to pay taxes in informal settlements in Lagos, Nigeria.
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News April 2021
Digital Discussions: Hosting Focus Groups on Zoom
Nicole Wilson, Phd Candidate and MIT GOV/LAB Graduate Research Fellow, discusses making progress on fieldwork during the pandemic, and shifting to online research methods.
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News February 2018
Causes and Consequences of Uncertainty Among the Urban Poor in Lagos
PhD student Nicole Wilson reporting back from the field on the results of her GOV/LAB seed project on informal settlements in Lagos, Nigeria.