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We review the construction of consistent higher-spin theories based on Chern-Simons actions. To this end we first introduce the required higher-spin algebras and discuss curvature and torsion tensors in an unconstrained way. Finally we…
We consider theories describing the dynamics of a four-dimensional metric, whose Lagrangian is diffeomorphism invariant and depends at most on second derivatives of the metric. Imposing degeneracy conditions we find a set of Lagrangians…
We use conformal embeddings involving exceptional affine Kac-Moody algebras to derive new dualities of three-dimensional topological field theories. These generalize the familiar level-rank duality of Chern-Simons theories based on…
Higher gauge theory is a higher order version of gauge theory that makes possible the definition of 2-dimensional holonomy along surfaces embedded in a manifold where a gauge 2-connection is present. In this paper, we will continue the…
A Chern-Simons action for supergravity in odd-dimensional spacetimes is proposed. For all odd dimensions, the local symmetry group is a non trivial supersymmetric extension of the Poincar\'e group. In $2+1$ dimensions the gauge group…
We compute the form of the Lagrangian of N=1 supersymmetric theories with gauged axion symmetries. It turns out that there appear generalized Chern-Simons terms that were not considered in previous superspace formulations of general N=1…
We construct supersymmetric deformations of general, locally supersymmetric, nonlinear sigma models in three spacetime dimensions, by extending the pure supergravity theory with a Chern-Simons term and gauging a subgroup of the sigma model…
We undertake a systematic study of the $4$-dimensional $SU(N)$ $2$-index chiral gauge theories and investigate their faithful global symmetries and dynamics. These are a finite set of theories with fermions in the $2$-index symmetric and…
In this paper, we present and classify the supersymmetric extensions of extended kinematical algebras, at the basis of non-Lorentzian physics theories. The diverse kinematical superalgebras are here derived by applying non- and…
We use the Chern-Simons formulation of higher spin theories in three dimensions to study aspects of holographic W-gravity. Concepts which were useful in studies of pure bulk gravity theories, such as the Fefferman-Graham gauge and the…
We explore higher-form symmetries of M- and F-theory compactified on elliptic fibrations, determined by the topology of their asymptotic boundaries. The underlying geometric structures are shown to be equivalent to known characterizations…
We develop a new approach to highest weight categories $\cal{C}$ with good (and cogood) posets of weights via pseudocompact algebras by introducing ascending (and descending) quasi-hereditary pseudocompact algebras. For $\cal{C}$ admitting…
We develop semistrict higher gauge theory from first principles. In particular, we describe the differential Deligne cohomology underlying semistrict principal 2-bundles with connective structures. Principal 2-bundles are obtained in terms…
We review the construction of higher-form symmetries for supersymmetric theories using a supergeometry framework. This reveals an enlarged set of topological conserved supercurrents, including Chern-Weil symmetries and new geometric…
In this article, we give a concise summary of $L_\infty$-algebras viewed in terms of Chevalley-Eilenberg algebras, Weil algebras and invariant polynomials and their use in defining connections in higher gauge theory. Using this, we discuss…
We introduce the notion of Chern-Simons classes for curved DG-pairs and we prove that a particular case of this general construction provides canonical $L_\infty$ liftings of Buchweitz-Flenner semiregularity maps for coherent sheaves on…
We derive discrete and oscillatory Chern-Simons matrix models. The method is based on fundamental properties of the associated orthogonal polynomials. As an application, we show that the discrete model allows to prove and extend the…
We determine all the terms that are gauge-invariant up to a total spacetime derivative ("semi-invariant terms") for gauged non-linear sigma models. Assuming that the isotropy subgroup $H$ of the gauge group is compact or semi-simple, we…
Dimensional reduction of theories involving (super-)gravity gives rise to sigma models on coset spaces of the form G/H, with G a non-compact group, and H its maximal compact subgroup. The reverse process, called oxidation, is the…
A five-dimensional Chern-Simons gravity theory based on the anti-de Sitter group SO(4,2) is argued to be a useful model in which to understand the details of holography and the relationship between generally covariant and dual local quantum…