An adjunction between categories, a
weakened notion of an equivalence, is omnipresent in
mathematics. In particular, it provides a useful framework for
studying various phenomena in algebraic topology. In
this talk, I will introduce a method for constructing an
adjunction of module categories. Given an algebra R and a left
ideal J, the eigenring, introduced by
Ore in 1932, is defined as a canonical subquotient algebra of R
with respect to J. Recently, I gave a construction of an
adjunction between the category of R-modules and the category of
modules over the eigenring. By anology
between monads and algebras, I also introduced the notion of
eigenmonad and established a similar adjunction. This adjunction
has interesting applications to polynomial functors, outer
functors (on free groups), and the Habiro-Massuyeau category in
quantum topology. In part I, I will present the general
construction with some classical examples and an overview of the
applications. In part II, I will give a detailed explanation of
the applications to polynomial functors and the Habiro-Massuyeau
category.