  We introduce and analyze the concept of an assembly map from the original
homotopy theoretic point of view. We give also interpretations in terms of
surgery theory, controlled topology and index theory. The motivation is that
prominent conjectures of Farrell-Jones and Baum-Connes about K- and L-theory of
group rings and group C^*-algebras predict that certain assembly maps are weak
homotopy equivalences.
