Head of Program
Health and Social Wellbeing
PhD, University of Adelaide; BA (Hons), University of Adelaide; LLB (Hons), University of Adelaide
email: n.levy@nantien.edu.au
phone: +61 (2) 4258 0752
Dr Nadine Levy
Dr Levy holds a PhD in sociology and Honours degrees in both law and gender studies. Her research investigates women’s lived experience across a range of social sites, including health, therapeutic landscapes and spiritual movements. More recently, she has explored compassionate pedagogy, critical approaches to mindfulness and therapy culture. Nadone’s approach to teaching is student-centred, reflective and grounded in critical theory. For the past decade she has taught in law, gender studies, sociology and, most recently, criminology.
Previously, she worked in the community sector as a lawyer and advocate.
Nadine is a Buddhist Insight Meditation Teacher. As such, she has a particular interest in Buddhist sociology/a sociology of Buddhism and the ways these two paradigms can enliven each another.
In the classroom, Nadine focuses on the insights and wisdom of her students and honours alternative forms of academic knowledge through the use of bodily, intuitive and relational teaching methods.
Membership
- Insight Meditation Institute
Grants and Awards
- 2010 The Business and Professional Women Prize, University of Adelaide, ‘a prize awarded to the most outstanding Honours student’.
- 2012 Nominated for Australian Women Lawyer of the Year Award, Women Lawyers’ Association (SA).
- 2014 Flinders Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences Seeding Grant for a study on health care professionals’ approaches to women’s health.
- 2014 Flinders Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences Establishment Grant 2014 for a study on women’s sexual health.
- 2013 Research Abroad Scholarship, University of Adelaide for fieldwork in the US.
- 2013 Karen Halley Trust Fund, University of Adelaide for fieldwork in the US.
- 2012 Australian Postgraduate Award, University of Adelaide.
- 2010 Augusta Zadow Scholarship, Safework SA for a study on young women and sexual harassment at work.
Selected Papers and Publications
Print Media
- Levy, N 2024, ‘How can we love fully in the face of inevitable loss? It starts with letting go’, The Guardian, 21 October, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/oct/21/how-can-we-love-fully-in-the-face-of-inevitable-loss-it-starts-with-letting-go
- Sujato, B & Levy, N 2024, ‘Buddha taught us to be happy with less’, The Guardian, 6 May, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/may/06/buddha-taught-us-to-be-happy-with-less-how-does-this-apply-to-climate-crisis
- Levy, N 2024, ‘Illness and death are facts of life – Buddhism teachers us to be mindful but not fearful of it’, The Guardian, 8 April, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/apr/07/illness-and-death-are-facts-of-life-buddhism-teaches-us-to-be-mindful-but-not-fearful-of-it
- Levy, N 2024, ‘Struggling in these extraordinary times? The answer may be compassion’, The Guardian, 19 February, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/feb/19/struggling-in-these-extraordinary-times-the-answer-may-be-compassion
- Levy, N 2023, ‘Try parenting the Buddhist way’, The Guardian, 6 November, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/nov/06/try-parenting-the-buddhist-way-drop-your-expectations-and-go-with-the-flow
- Levy, N 2023, ‘Living a life rich in meaning: the art of doing nothing’, The Guardian, 11 September, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/sep/11/if-you-want-to-live-a-life-rich-in-meaning-first-you-must-learn-how-to-do-nothing
Journal Articles
- Levy, N 2023, ‘Op-Ed on Critical Mindfulness in Contemplative Education’, Journal of Contemplative Studies, https://contemplativejournal.org/op-ed/levy-critical-mindfulness/
- Gleig, A, Levy, N & Sujato, B 2023, ‘Undoing Toxic Masculinity in Buddhist Communities’, Lion’s Roar, https://www.lionsroar.com/undoing-toxic-masculinity-in-buddhist-communities/
- Levy, N & Franzway, S 2021, ‘Perspective: The Teacher and Late Modern Buddhism in the West: Commitment and Dilemmas’, Studies on Humanistic Buddhism, vol. 4, pp. 157-165.
- Canell, C, Spasovska, E, Gou, Y, Nilsson, A, Clarkson, R, Di Niro, C, Levy, N & Walker, A 2020, ‘Doing collective biography differently by incorporating methods of narrative inquiry, poetic inquiry and performance studies into the analysis of writings-as-data’, TEXT, vol. 24, no. 59 (Special).
- Di Niro, C, Walker, A, Nilsson, A, Clarkson, R, Gou, Y, Spasovska, E, Levy, N & Cannell, C 2020, ‘Becoming-game: an assemblage of perspectives on challenges for early career academics in neoliberal times’, TEXT, vol. 24, no. 59 (Special).
- Levy, N 2016, ‘Emotional Landscapes; Discomfort in the Field’, Qualitative Research Journal, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 39-50.
- Levy, N 2013, ‘Towards a New Environmental Ethic in Contemporary Feminist Theory’, Hecate, vol. 38, no. 1/2, pp. 9-23.
Book Chapters
- Levy, N 2023, ‘Teaching with Heart: Reflections on Compassionate Pedagogy in Higher Education’, in J Shi, S Hill & S Franzway (eds.), Cultivating Compassion: Going Beyond Crises, Peter Lang International Publishers, Oxford, pp. 219-238.
- Gou, Y, Niro, CD, Spasovska, E, Walker, A, Cannell, C, Clarkson, R, Nilsson, A & Levy, N 2021, ‘Writing, Playing, Transforming: A Collaborative Inquiry into Neoliberalism’s Effects on Academia, and the Scope for Changing the Game’, in AL Black & R Dwyer (eds.), Reimagining the Academy, Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, pp. 219-238.
Conference Papers and Presentations
- Levy, N 2019, ‘Maternal Subjectivity/The Buddhist ‘Self’: A Contradiction or an Invitation?’, The Proceedings of the 16th Sakyaditha International Conference on Buddhist Women: New Horizons in Buddhism, Blue Mountains, Australia, 23-28 July.
- Levy, N 2014, ‘The Spiritual-Politics of Resistance: Holy Activism in Alternative Communities’, paper presented at the TASA Annual Conference, University of South Australia, 24-27 November.
- Levy, N 2012, ‘The Implications of Stacey Alaimo’s “Transcorporeality” on Human and Environmental Ethics’, paper presented at the Fay Gale Annual Conference, University of Adelaide, 4-6 December.
- Levy, N, 2012, ‘New Materialist Feminism moving towards a New Environmental Ethic’, paper presented at Regarding the Earth: Ecological Vision in Word and Image, Monash/RMIT, 31 August-2 September.
- Levy, N & Purdy, A 2011, ‘Young Women, Sexual harassment & OHS in a Small Business Context’, paper presented at the Our Work, Our Lives 4th International Conference, Dili, Timor Leste, 1-2 September.
- Levy, N & Purdy, A, 2010, ‘Experiences of Sexual Harassment amongst Young Women Workers: An Exploration of Power and Opportunity’, paper presented at the Our Work, Our Lives 3rd National Conference, Darwin, Australia, 12-13 August.
Other Publications
- Levy, N 2011, ‘The Experiences of Young Women Lawyers’, Portia (Victorian Women Lawyers), vol. 36.
- Levy, N 2011, ‘Issues Facing Young Women Lawyers’, Bulletin (Law Society of South Australia), vol. 33.
- Levy, N 2009, ‘Employment Law and Income’, The Law, Youth Work and Young People: A Handbook for Youth Workers in South Australia, YACSA, South Australia.