Dennis Sullivan : Algebraic Models of Manifolds

Abstract: It appears that some algebraic structures associated to compact manifolds through mapping spaces like loop spaces depend only on the homotopy type of the manifold [rel boundary]. One example is the string bracket for closed three manifolds generalizing the Goldman bracket for surfaces. Since the homotopy type is a strong invariant for three manifolds the string bracket is still quite useful for example in describing the form of Thurston's geometrizationd [Chas -Gadgil largely completing a story beginning in Abbaspour's Thesis].