This self-contained book dedicated to Drinfeld's quasi-Hopf algebras takes the reader from the basics to the state of the art.

This is the first book to be dedicated entirely to Drinfeld's quasi-Hopf algebras. Ideal for graduate students and researchers in mathematics and mathematical physics, this treatment is largely self-contained, taking the reader from the basics, with complete proofs, to much more advanced topics, with almost complete proofs. Many of the proofs are based on general categorical results; the same approach can then be used in the study of other Hopf-type algebras, for example Turaev or Zunino Hopf algebras, Hom-Hopf algebras, Hopfish algebras, and in general any algebra for which the category of representations is monoidal. Newcomers to the subject will appreciate the detailed introduction to (braided) monoidal categories, (co)algebras and the other tools they will need in this area. More advanced readers will benefit from having recent research gathered in one place, with open questions to inspire their own research.

Is there a vector space whose dimension is the golden ratio? Of course not—the golden ratio is not an integer! But this can happen for generalizations of vector spaces—objects of a tensor category. The theory of tensor categories is a relatively new field of mathematics that generalizes the theory of group representations. It has deep connections with many other fields, including representation theory, Hopf algebras, operator algebras, low-dimensional topology (in particular, knot theory), homotopy theory, quantum mechanics and field theory, quantum computation, theory of motives, etc. This book gives a systematic introduction to this theory and a review of its applications. While giving a detailed overview of general tensor categories, it focuses especially on the theory of finite tensor categories and fusion categories (in particular, braided and modular ones), and discusses the main results about them with proofs. In particular, it shows how the main properties of finite-dimensional Hopf algebras may be derived from the theory of tensor categories. Many important results are presented as a sequence of exercises, which makes the book valuable for students and suitable for graduate courses. Many applications, connections to other areas, additional results, and references are discussed at the end of each chapter.

Here is an introduction to the theory of quantum groups with emphasis on the spectacular connections with knot theory and Drinfeld's recent fundamental contributions. It presents the quantum groups attached to SL2 as well as the basic concepts of the theory of Hopf algebras. Coverage also focuses on Hopf algebras that produce solutions of the Yang-Baxter equation and provides an account of Drinfeld's elegant treatment of the monodromy of the Knizhnik-Zamolodchikov equations.

The book provides a detailed account of basic coalgebra and Hopf algebra theory with emphasis on Hopf algebras which are pointed, semisimple, quasitriangular, or are of certain other quantum groups. It is intended to be a graduate text as well as a research monograph.

The last ten years have seen a number of significant advances in Hopf algebras. The best known is the introduction of quantum groups, which are Hopf algebras that arose in mathematical physics and now have connections to many areas of mathematics. In addition, several conjectures of Kaplansky have been solved, the most striking of which is a kind of Lagrange's theorem for Hopf algebras. Work on actions of Hopf algebras has unified earlier results on group actions, actions of Lie algebras, and graded algebras. This book brings together many of these recent developments from the viewpoint of the algebraic structure of Hopf algebras and their actions and coactions. Quantum groups are treated as an important example, rather than as an end in themselves. The two introductory chapters review definitions and basic facts; otherwise, most of the material has not previously appeared in book form. Providing an accessible introduction to Hopf algebras, this book would make an excellent graduate textbook for a course in Hopf algebras or an introduction to quantum groups.

An introduction to the basic theory of Hopf algebras for those familiar with basic linear and commutative algebra.