Symmetric spectra model global homotopy theory of finite groups (Q2311443)

Equivariant homotopy theory originated from the study of homotopy invariants of spaces that are compatible with some group of symmetries of that space. It has had many successes in algebraic and geometric topology. While equivariant homotopy theory usually studies only one group at a time, it often considers change of groups constructions (restriction, inflation, induction and so on). Contrastingly, global equivariant homotopy theory takes its starting point as those phenomena which can be defined for all compact Lie groups $G$ in a manner compatible with change of groups. Standard examples include the $G$-equivariant stable homotopy category or $G$-equivariant $K$-theory. See [\textit{S. Schwede}, Global homotopy theory. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (2018; Zbl 1451.55001)] for a comprehensive treatment. \par The usual way to construct global equivariant homotopy theory is to equip the category of orthogonal spectra with a special model structure. Depending on the phenomena one has in mind, one may choose a model structure associated to some class of groups (e.g. abelian compact Lie groups or finite groups). This paper shows that provided one only considers (subclasses of) finite groups, one can use symmetric spectra as the base category. This construction allows one to use simplicial sets (rather than topological spaces). Moreover, it can be much more straightforward to construct actions of symmetric groups rather than orthogonal groups. The paper finishes with a selection of examples, including Schwede's construction of a model for global equivariant algebraic $K$-theory in terms of symmetric spectra. This model occurs naturally as a symmetric spectrum, rather than an orthogonal spectrum.