Speeches & Interviews

A Sustainable Education Interview and discussion with Jean Feraca on her Wisconsin Public Radio show "Here on Earth."  Recorded April 1, 2008.

An Author Interview with Parker Palmer on the Quaker Books website. Transcript of interview posted on April 12, 2008.

Parker Palmer on the Democratic Experiment  Recorded on February 19, 2008 at the Commonwealth Club of California, Parker speaks on “America’s Democratic Experiment: Holding the Tension Between Reality and Possibility.” He argues that democracy requires us to do the soul-work necessary to stand in the tragic gap, evoking “the better angels of our nature” in ourselves and in our world.

An edited version of this talk, with an accompanying discussion at Gather.com, can be found at the website of “Word for Word” from American Public Media.

Parker Palmer on The Politics of the Brokenhearted, and Deepening the American Dream: Reflections on the Inner Life of Spirit and Democracy  A discussion with Michael Lerner of Commonweal that includes audio as well as a downloadable transcript and an article on the same topic.

The Forum at Grace Cathedral Audio recording of an interview and conversation between Parker Palmer and The Very Rev. Alan Jones at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco on February 17, 2008.

Keynote Address entitled The courage to teach: Staff development that sustains the educator's heart, given at the annual conference of the National Staff Development Council in Dallas, December 2007.

Here on Earth: Radio Without Borders This hour on Here on Earth: Radio Without Borders, Jean Feraca and Parker Palmer talk about Merton’s journey from traditional Roman Catholicism as a Trappist monk into an expansive universal Christianity.

Commencement Address Cal Institute of Integral Studies 2007 Commencement Address to California Institute of Integral Studies (PDF, 95Kb) Delivered at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco on May 27, 2007

Commencement Address Cal Institute of Integral Studies 2007 Commencement Address to Bank Street College of Education (PDF, 58Kb) Delivered at Riverside Church in New York City on May 24, 2007

Leading from Within: Reclaiming Selfhood in Professional Life
Video and audio of a lecture given by Parker J. Palmer at Wellesley College on October 26, 2005

Leadership and the Inner Journey: An Interview with Parker Palmer by L. J. Rittenhouse from Leader to Leader pp. 26-33, Fall 2001
Parker Palmer has inspired a national movement to reform teaching and education. Here, in conversation with L.J. Rittenhouse, an executive consultant who tracks the connection between CEO language and financial performance, Palmer explains why the inner journey is a prerequisite to authentic leadership.

Speaking of Faith, hosted by Krista Tippett, is public radio's weekly conversation about religion, meaning, ethics, and ideas. This program includes the entire transcript of an interview with Parker Palmer on depression.

The Violence of Our Knowledge: Toward a Spirituality of Higher Education From 21st Century Learning Initiative. The Michael Keenan Memorial Lecture, Berea College, Kentucky. The Seventh Lecture 1993.

Please also listen to and subscribe to our podcasts with Parker Palmer.