The book is very different from other books devoted to quantum field theory, both in the style of exposition and in the choice of topics. Written for both mathematicians and physicists, the author explains the theoretical formulation with a mixture of rigorous proofs and heuristic arguments; references are given for those who are looking for more details. The author is also careful to avoid ambiguous definitions and statements that can be found in some physics textbooks.In terms of topics, almost all other books are devoted to relativistic quantum field theory, conversely this book is concentrated on the material that does not depend on the assumptions of Lorentz-invariance and/or locality. It contains also a chapter discussing application of methods of quantum field theory to statistical physics, in particular to the derivation of the diagram techniques that appear in thermo-field dynamics and Keldysh formalism. It is not assumed that the reader is familiar with quantum mechanics; the book contains a short introduction to quantum mechanics for mathematicians and an appendix devoted to some mathematical facts used in the book.

Contents:Lectures on Algebraic Quantum Field Theory (J Roberts)Introduction to the Algebraic Theory of Superselection Sectors (D Kastler, M Mebkhout & K H Rehren)Localisability of Particle States (K Fredenhagen)Local Observables and the Structure of Quantum Field Theory (S Doplicher)Braid Group Statistics and Their Superselection Rules (K H Rehren)Principles of General Quantum Field Theory Versus New Intuition from Model Studies. An Essay on the Work of J A Swieca (B Schroer)Endomorphisms and Quantum Symmetry of the Conformal Ising Model (G Mack & V Schomerus)Superselection Sectors in Quantum Field Model: Kinks in Φ24 and Charged States in Lattice Q.E.D. (J Fröelich & P A Marchetti)Braid Statistics in 3-Dimensional Local Quantum Theory (J Fröelich, & F Gabbiani)Index Theory of Subfactors and Braid Group statistics (R Longo)Technical Properties of the Quasi-local Algebra (C D'Antoni)Localized Automorphisms of the U(1)-Current Algebra on the Circle. A Simple Example (D Buchholz, G Mack & I Todorov) Readership: High energy physicists, solid state physicists, mathematical physicists and mathematicians.