A discrete approach to topological quantum field theories

First, we describe a rather general scheme for constructing three-dimensional euclidean topological quantum field theories, whose basic building blocks are provided by the representation theory of a certain class of (bi-)algebras. Secondly, we discuss in some detail examples, where the algebra is either the function algebra of a finite group, the group algebra of a finite group or a deformation of the enveloping algebra of a classical simple Lie group.