Preprint available http://www.informatics.bangor.ac.uk/public/mathematics/research/preprints/04... 04.01 : BROWN, R., KAMPS, K.H. & PORTER, T. A van Kampen theorem for the homotopy double groupoid of a Hausdorff space Summary: We show that the homotopy double groupoid of a Hausdorff space defined by the authors in a previous paper satisfies a version of the van Kampen theorem, and so is a suitable tool for non abelian, 2-dimensional, local-to-global problems. The methods are analogous to those developed by Brown and Higgins for similar theorems for other higher homotopy groupoids. There is a detailed discussion of commutative cubes in a double category with connections, and a proof of the key result that any composition of commutative cubes is commutative. Ronnie Brown Professor Emeritus R. Brown, Department of Mathematics, University of Wales, Bangor Dean St., Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 1UT, United Kingdom Tel. direct:+44 1248 382474|office: 382681 fax: +44 1248 361429 World Wide Web: home page: http://www.bangor.ac.uk/~mas010/ (Links to survey articles: Higher dimensional group theory Groupoids and crossed objects in algebraic topology) Centre for the Popularisation of Mathematics: http://www.cpm.informatics.bangor.ac.uk/ (reorganised site with new sculpture animations)