Published online by Cambridge University Press: 17 April 2014
We consider the model theoretic notion of convex orderability, which fitsstrictly between the notions of VC-minimality and dp-minimality. In some classesof algebraic theories, however, we show that convex orderability andVC-minimality are equivalent, and use this to give a complete classification ofVC-minimal theories of ordered groups and abelian groups. Consequences forfields are also considered, including a necessary condition for a theory ofvalued fields to be quasi-VC-minimal. For example, the p-adicsare not quasi-VC-minimal.