Pope Francis has appointed Margaret Scotford Archer as president of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences. Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences. The British sociologist, who gave the I ICS Lecture on Humanities and Social Sciences at the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences in March 2014, succeeds Mary Ann Glendon, Professor of Law at the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences. Institute for Culture and Societyposition (ICS), succeeds Mary Ann Glendon, professor of law at Harvard University (USA) and contributor to the project 'Religion and Civil Societyof the ICS.

It should be recalled that the new president was a founding member of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences of the United Kingdom.

The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences was founded by John Paul II on January 1, 1994, with the Motu Proprio "Socialum Scientiarum". It has as goal "promote the study and progress of the social, economic, political and juridical sciences in the light of the social doctrine of the Church".

The Academy is autonomous and at the same time maintains a close relationship with the Pontifical committee Justice and Peace, with which it coordinates the programming of the various initiatives. The issue of its pontifical academicians, also appointed by the Pope, cannot be less than 20 or more than 40. There are currently 31 of them and they come from 24 countries around the world, without distinction of religious denomination. They are chosen for their high level of skill in one of the various social disciplines.