Abstracts for Course on The theory of $p-$local finite groups

This course aims at being an introduction to the theory of $p-$local finite groups. These are algebraic objects modeled on the homotopy theory associated to p-completed classifying spaces of finite groups. They enable to relate the p-local structure of a finite group to related aspects of the homotopy theory of the resulting p-completed classifying space. The concept also allows for the construction of exotic homotopy types, i.e., spaces which behave from a homotopy theoretic point of view like a p-completed classifying space of a finite group, but in fact are not such spaces.