Transformation Groups and Moduli Spaces of Curves

Transformation groups have played a fundamental role in many areas of mathematics such as differential geometry, geometric topology, algebraic topology, algebraic geometry, number theory. Ore of the basic reasons for their importance is that symmetries are described by groups (or rather group actions). Quotients of smooth manifolds by group actions are usually not smooth manifolds. On the other hand, if the actions of the groups are proper, then the quotients are orbifolds. An important example is given by the action of the mapping class groups on the Teichmuller spaces, and the quotients give the moduli spaces of Riemann surfaces (or algebraic curves) and are orbifolds. 
This book consists of expanded lecture'' notes of two summer schools Transformation Groups and Orbifolds and Geometry of Teichmuller Spaces and Moduli Spaces of Curves in 2008 and will be a valuable source for people to learn transformation groups, orbifolds, Teichmuller spaces, mapping class groups, moduli soaces of curves and related topics.