This text is based on a one-semester graduate course taught by the author at The Fields Institute in the Autumn of 1995 as part of the homotopy theory program, which constituted the institute's major program that year. The intent of the course was to bring graduate students who had completed a first course in algebraic topology to the point where they could understand research lectures in homotopy theory and to prepare them for the other, more specialized graduate courses being held in conjunction with the program. The ...
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This text is based on a one-semester graduate course taught by the author at The Fields Institute in the Autumn of 1995 as part of the homotopy theory program, which constituted the institute's major program that year. The intent of the course was to bring graduate students who had completed a first course in algebraic topology to the point where they could understand research lectures in homotopy theory and to prepare them for the other, more specialized graduate courses being held in conjunction with the program. The notes are divided into two parts: prerequisites, and the course proper. Part I, the prerequisites, contains a review of material often taught in a first course in algebraic topology. It should provide a useful summary for students and non-specialists who are interested in learning the basics of algebraic topology. Included is some basic category theory, point set topology, the fundamental group, homological algebra, singular and celllular homology, and Poincar 'e duality.
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