I teach courses in comparative politics, political economy, and European politics.
At UNC, I served three times as Instructor for Introduction to European Government and four times as teaching assistant for courses in comparative politics and international relations.
Instructor
POLI 239: Introduction to European Government (Fall 2015, Spring 2016, Spring 2017)
The course focuses on Western European politics since WWII. It explores political systems and institutions (including political parties, electoral systems, and systems of government); it offers in-depth analysis of relevant case studies (UK, Germany, France, Italy) and issues in European politics (e.g. Eurocrisis, populism, far-right parties, immigration and refugee crisis); and it provides an introduction to the history and the institutions of the European Union. Activities to engage students include: poster sessions to illustrate findings from research papers; a team-based competition on institutional design; a policy simulation on the refugee crisis; presentations on current events; and forum discussions on current elections and campaigns.
Syllabi: Fall 2015; Spring 2016; Spring 2017
Teaching Assistant
POLI 150: Introduction to International Relations (Fall 2014, Spring 2015)
POLI 130: Introduction to Comparative Politics (Spring 2014)
POLI 239: Introduction to European Government (Fall 2013)
Research Consultant and Academic Tutor
At UNC, I have also worked as a graduate research consultant for the upper-level undergraduate seminar “Sexuality, Race, Gender: Identity and Political Representation.” In this role, I have helped students to set up their research projects and develop their research ideas, and I have provided guidance with data collection and analysis.
I have also served as an academic tutor for student-athletes in a program that reports to the Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost. I have been tutoring students in a wide range of courses in political science, research methods, sociology, and Italian.
Selective feedback
“Professor Magni made the course very intellectually engaging and interactive. He is clearly passionate about the subject and transmits that to his students, making him an excellent instructor” (POLI 239, Spring 2017)
“Gabriele Magni is one of the best instructors that I have ever had at UNC Chapel Hill. He is extremely enthusiastic and always manages to come up with relevant examples for complicated topics. He makes topics that other teachers would make incredibly boring into very engaging and fun lectures. He answers questions well and encourages participation, and I have never felt nervous about participating in this class. He is seemingly always available to help through face-to-face meetings and email. He made all of the course requirements and assignments very clear and easy to follow” (POLI 239, Spring 2016)
“By far one of the best instructors I’ve had at UNC! He communicated ideas about the course and his expectations thoroughly and actively encouraged our participation by prompting questions and answering them incredibly well. He always seemed enthusiastic about the material and transferred that enthusiasm to the students. Even the “team games” (which, in theory, sound awful, because there is nothing more hated than group work) were fun.” (POLI 239, Spring 2016)
“My teaching associate was phenomenal and I looked forward to recitation each week. He was engaging and articulate and had a mastery of the material. His PowerPoints were organized and he fostered class discussion well by asking thought provoking questions. He was just enjoyable and sweet and wonderful and I was so fortunate to have him as my teaching associate.” (POLI 150, Spring 2015)
“I learned so much in this course thanks to Gabriele. He was very helpful in keeping the class up to date on current events, and was really nice and encouraging during discussions. He knew his international politics, and that showed in class. His grading was always prompt, fair, and helpful. Gabriele is an excellent TA and should definitely continue teaching.” (POLI 150, Spring 2015)
“Gabriele deserves an award! He was the best TA I have ever had. The recitation section was extremely helpful for me. Sometimes I felt that I learned more in recitation than in class. Each recitation Gabriele was prepared with a PowerPoint presentation that was applicable to the readings and class material. He made sure that all of the students were actively engaged and encouraged an open and collaborative environment for students. I felt comfortable expressing my opinions and asking questions if I was confused during recitation. I emailed him several times outside of recitation and received prompt very helpful responses. Gabriele was always willing to offer help and answer questions.” (POLI 150, Fall 2014)
“Gabriele was a great TA. He was available to help with papers and test prep, and was passionate and knowledgeable about the class material. One of the better TA’s I’ve had so far.” (POLI 130, Spring 2014)
“Gabriele was extremely insightful and knowledgeable about the subject matter. He was friendly and approachable, and always willing to make time to help you in office hours or otherwise. I liked his teaching style and his ability to engage the whole class, and I found his supplemental materials such as videos and extra information very helpful. Overall, my experience with Gabriele was excellent!” (POLI 239, Fall 2013)
