Categorical and combinatorial aspects of descent theory (Q1771124)

Let \({\mathcal C}\) be a category. The goal of the article under review is to define the cohomology \(\omega\)-category (or \(\infty\)-category) \({\mathcal H}(R,A)\) of a space \(R\), i.e., of a simplicial object \(R:\triangle^{\text{ op}}\to{\mathcal C}\) in \({\mathcal C}\), and a coefficient system \(A\), i.e., \(A\) is an \(\omega\)-category in \({\mathcal C}\). The author defines \({\mathcal H}(R,A)\) as the descent category Desc\(\,{\mathcal C}(R,A)\) associated to the cosimplicial \(\omega\)-category \({\mathcal C}(R,A)\). A rather explicit definition for the descent category Desc\(\,{\mathcal E}\) of a cosimplicial \(\omega\)-categories \({\mathcal E}\) is given. The framework applies to weak \(\omega\)-categories (as opposed to strict ones), and it is only here that we can speak honestly of cohomology, as now the objects of the ``cocycle category'' \({\mathcal H}(R,A)\) are to be considered up to equivalence, i.e., up to coboundaries. As one application, the author shows how Giraud's definition of the non-abelian \(H^2\) fits into this framework. The article is written in survey style and reviews related subjects in algebraic geometry (stacks, torsors, Brauer and Picard groups) and categorical combinatorics (parity complexes, computads, globes, graphs associated to a category).