Homotopy pull backs, homotopy push outs and joins (Q1281158)

The present paper studies some classical concepts, such as homotopy pull-back or push-outs, or joins in the general context of a Quillen model category. The main theoretical results assert things such as ``the join of homotopy pull-backs'' is a homotopy pull-back. There are two kinds of applications. The theoretical applications address questions like the associativity of joins. The second type of applications is to the work of Ganea and others on Lyusternik-Shnirel'man category and fat wedges.