  A homology stratification is a filtered space with local homology groups
constant on strata. Despite being used by Goresky and MacPherson [Intersection
homology theory: II, Inventiones Mathematicae, 71 (1983) 77-129] in their proof
of topological invariance of intersection homology, homology stratifications do
not appear to have been studied in any detail and their properties remain
obscure. Here we use them to present a simplified version of the
Goresky-MacPherson proof valid for PL spaces, and we ask a number of questions.
The proof uses a new technique, homology general position, which sheds light on
the (open) problem of defining generalised intersection homology.

Geometric Topology