This text, drawn from the author's lectures at the University of California at Berkeley, is intended as a textbook for a one-term course in basic ring theory. The material covered includes the Wedderburn-Artin theory of semi-simple rings, Jacobson's theory of the radical representation theory of groups and algebras, prime and semi-prime rings, primitive and semi-primitive rings, division rings, ordered rings, local and semi-local rings, and perfect and semi-perfect rings. By aiming the level of writing at the novice rather than at the expert, and by stressing the role of examples and motivation, the author has produced a text which is suitable not only for use in a graduate course, but also for self-study by other interested graduate students. Numerous exercises are also included. This graduate textbook on rings, fields and algebras is intended for graduate students in mathematics.

A first course in noncommutative rings, by T. Y. Lam. Pp. 385. £37 (pb), £62.50 (hb). 2001. ISBN 0 387 95325 6 (pb), 0 387 95183 0 (hb) (Springer-Verlag).

This paper introduces five notions, including π-algebras, π-ideals, Hopf π-algebras, π-modules and Hopf π-modules, verifies the fundamental isomorphism theorem of π-algebras and studies some algebraic properties of Hopf π-algebras as well.

Hopf π- Algebras

The Algebraic Theory of Semigroups, Vol. I. By A. H. Clifford and G. B. Preston. Pp. xv + 224. $10.60. 1961. (American Mathematical Society, Providence.)

Given a partial action a of a group G on an associative algebra A, we consider the crossed product A × α G. Using the algebras of multipliers, we generalize a result of Exel (1997) on the associativity of A × α G obtained in the context of C*-algebras. In particular, we prove that A × α G is associative, provided that A is semiprime. We also give a criterion for the existence of a global extension of a given partial action on an algebra, and use crossed products to study relations between partial actions of groups on algebras and partial representations. As an application we endow partial group algebras with a crossed product structure.

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Associativity of crossed products by partial actions, enveloping actions and partial representations

Given a partial action \alpha of a group G on an associative algebra A we consider the crossed product A x_\alpha G. Using the algebras of multipliers of ideals of A we prove that A x_\alpha G is associative, provided that all ideals of A are idempotent. This generalizes a previous result on the associativity of A x_\alpha G in the context of C*-algebras. We also give a criteria for the existence of a global extension of a given partial action on an algebra and use crossed products to study relations between partial actions of groups on algebras and partial representations. As an application we endow partial group algebras with crossed product structure.

Michael A. Dokuchaev

Papers

Associativity of crossed products by partial actions, enveloping actions and partial representations

Associativity of crossed products by partial actions, enveloping actions and partial representations

Partial actions and Galois theory

Partial Representations and Partial Group Algebras

Crossed products by twisted partial actions and graded algebras