Courbes Semi-Stables Et Groupe Fondamental En Geometrie Algebrique : Birkhauser : 9783764363086 : 3764363088 : 01 Aug 2000 : This volume contains detailed expositions of talks given during an instructional conference held at Luminy in December 1998, which was devoted to classical and recent results concerning the fundamental group of algebraic curves, especially over finite and local fields. The scientific guidance of the conference was supplied by M. Raynaud, a leading expert in the field. The purpose of this volume is twofold. Firstly, it gives an account of basic results concerning rigid geometry, stable curves, and algebraic fundamental groups, in a form which should make them largely accessible to graduate students mastering a basic course in modern algebraic geometry. However classic, most of this material has not appeared in book form yet. In particular, the semi-stable reduction theorem for curves is covered with special care, including various detailed proofs. Secondly, it pre