English

Homotopy theory of stricter $n$-categories

Category Theory 2025-10-01 v1 Algebraic Topology

Abstract

We make strict nn-categories even stricter by requiring they satisfy higher exchange laws governed by Hadzihasanovic's theory of regular directed complexes. We study the first properties of stricter nn-categories, in particular, we define the Gray product, and prove stability under suspension, which is non-trivial. After reviewing and briefly expanding the theory diagrammatic sets and their associated model structures for (,n)(\infty, n)-categories, we construct a folk model structure on stricter nn-categories, show that the walking equivalence coincides with the stricter polygraph generated by the walking equivalence in diagrammatic sets, and finally, that the folk model structure on stricter nn-categories is right transferred from the diagrammatic model structure along a nerve construction.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2509.26563,
  title  = {Homotopy theory of stricter $n$-categories},
  author = {Clémence Chanavat},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2509.26563},
  year   = {2025}
}

Comments

54 pages, comments welcome