Operads, modules and topological field theories

Abstract

In this paper, we describe a general theory of modules over an algebra over an operad. We also study functors between categories of modules. Specializing to the operad E_d of little d-dimensional disks, we show that each (d-1)-manifold gives rise to a theory of modules over E_d-algebras and each bordism gives rise to a functor from the category defined by its incoming boundary to the category defined by its outgoing boundary. We describe how to assemble these categories into a map from a certain operad to the operad of (infinity)-categories.