THE ECONOMY OF FRANCESCO: A PROCESS MORE THAN AN EVENT

This introductory paper explains why the Economy of Francesco (EoF) is a relevant topic for a special issue of Rivista Internazionale di Scienze Sociali/Research In Social Sciences, in terms of its quantitative relevance, the innovativeness of the method, the average age of the actors involved, and its interdisciplinary scope. A few reflections are also made regarding the contribution that EoF, and Catholic social thought as proposed by Pope Francis more generally, can make to econ- omics as a scientific discipline, to economic policy as a tool for social action and to our daily lives as professional economists and university lecturers