Score contribution per author:
α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count
This article provides an introduction to the special issue. We focus on four themes that are important for policymakers and researchers alike in view of the experiences of the global financial crisis of 2007–09 and the ensuing sovereign debt crisis in the euro area: the relevance of the banking sector for the real economy, the future structure and regulation of the banking sector, the efficacy of past and current regulatory reforms, and the impact of cross‐border banking on economic stability and financial development.