Related papers: Variations on a theme by Higman

We prove explicit and elementary formulas for the group homology and cohomology of a finite group with coefficients in any module. We describe in elementary terms the cohomology algebra $H^*(G,k)$ as a graded algebra for a finite group $G$…

It is shown that any finitely generated non-elementary Fuchsian group has among its homomorphic images all but finitely many of the alternating groups. This settles in the affirmative a conjecture of Graham Higman.

Let $H$ be a proper subgroup of a discrete group $G$. We introduce a notion of relative inner amenability of $H$ in $G$, we prove some equivalent conditions and provide examples as well as counter-examples. We also discuss the corresponding…

We construct an infinite discrete subgroup of the isometry group of $\mathbb H^3$ with no finite quotients other than the trivial group.

The goal of this article is to study results and examples concerning finitely presented covers of finitely generated amenable groups. We collect examples of groups $G$ with the following properties: (i) $G$ is finitely generated, (ii) $G$…

We construct first examples of infinite groups having property (T) whose Kazhdan constants admit a lower bound independent of the choice of a finite generating set.

This thesis addresses questions in representation and invariant theory of finite groups. The first concerns singularities of quotient spaces under actions of finite groups. We introduce a class of finite groups such that the quotients have…

We notice that the class of nontrivial groups without proper subgroups of finite index is not elementary, because some groups in this class, such as $\mathbb Q*\mathbb Q$, have ultrapowers that map homomorphically onto $\mathbb Z/p\mathbb…

For $G$ and $H_1,\dots, H_n$ finite groups, does there exist a $3$-manifold group with $G$ as a quotient but no $H_i$ as a quotient? We answer all such questions in terms of the group cohomology of finite groups. We prove non-existence with…

We discuss examples of non-commutative spaces over non-archimedean fields. Those include non-commutative and quantum affinoid algebras, quantized K3 surfaces and quantized locally analytic p-adic groups.

Let $G$ be a subgroup of a discrete (countable) group $\Gamma$. We introduce a notion of relative inner amenability of $G$ in $\Gamma$, we prove some equivalent conditions and provide examples as well as counter-examples. We also discuss…

We give simple examples of Kazhdan groups with infinite outer automorphism groups. This answers a question of Paulin, independently answered by Ollivier and Wise by completely different methods. As arithmetic lattices in (non-semisimple)…

We discuss an extension of the Weingarten formula, to the case of noncommutative homogeneous spaces, under suitable "easiness" assumptions. The spaces that we consider are noncommutative algebraic manifolds, generalizing the spaces of type…

In this paper we deal with the problem of classifying the genera of quotient curves $\mathcal{H}_q/G$, where $\mathcal{H}_q$ is the $\mathbb{F}_{q^2}$-maximal Hermitian curve and $G$ is an automorphism group of $\mathcal{H}_q$. The groups…

We prove that the quasivariety of groups generated by finite and locally indicable groups does not contain the class of periodic groups. This result is related to (and inspired by) the solvability of equations over groups. The proof uses…

Over each nontrivial finite group $G$, there exists a finite system of equations having no solutions in larger finite groups but having a solution in a periodic group containing $G$. We prove several similar facts about amenable, orderable,…

Z.-J. Ruan has shown that several amenability conditions are all equivalent in the case of discrete Kac algebras. In this paper, we extend this work to the case of discrete quantum groups. That is, we show that a discrete quantum group,…

For all sufficiently large odd integers $n$, the following version of Higman's embedding theorem is proved in the variety ${\cal B}_n$ of all groups satisfying the identity $x^n=1$. A finitely generated group $G$ from ${\cal B}_n$ has a…

A group is sofic when every finite subset can be well approximated in a finite symmetric group. No example of a non-sofic group is known. Higman's group, which is a circular amalgamation of four copies of the Baumslag--Solitar group, is a…

We show, using acylindrical hyperbolicity, that a finitely generated group splitting over $\Z$ cannot be simple. We also obtain SQ-universality in most cases, for instance a balanced group (one where if two powers of an infinite order…