Let $\pi$ be a discrete group, and let $G$ be a compact-connected Lie group. Then, there is a map $\Theta \colon \mathrm {Hom}(\pi,G)_0\to \mathrm {map}_*(B\pi,BG)_0$ between the null components of the spaces of homomorphisms and based maps, which sends a homomorphism to the induced map between classifying spaces. Atiyah and Bott studied this map for $\pi$ a surface group, and showed that it is surjective in rational cohomology. In this paper, we prove that the map $\Theta$ is surjective in rational cohomology for $\pi =\mathbb {Z}^m$ and the classical group $G$ except for $SO(2n)$, and that it is not surjective for $\pi =\mathbb {Z}^m$ with $m\ge 3$ and $G=SO(2n)$ with $n\ge 4$. As an application, we consider the surjectivity of the map $\Theta$ in rational cohomology for $\pi$ a finitely generated nilpotent group. We also consider the dimension of the cokernel of the map $\Theta$ in rational homotopy groups for $\pi =\mathbb {Z}^m$ and the classical groups $G$ except for $SO(2n)$.

Multiplicative constants are a fundamental tool in the study of maximal representations. In this paper, we show how to extend such notion, and the associated framework, to measurable cocycles theory. As an application of this approach, we define and study the Cartan invariant for measurable $\mathrm{PU}(m,1)$ -cocycles of complex hyperbolic lattices.

We determine the (non-)triviality of Samelson products of inclusions of factors of the mod p decomposition of $G_{(p)}$ for $(G,p)=(E_7,5),(E_7,7),(E_8,7)$. This completes the determination of the (non-)triviality of those Samelson products in p-localized exceptional Lie groups when G has p-torsion-free homology.

Lazard showed in his seminal work (Groupes analytiques p-adiques, Publ. Math. Inst. Hautes Études Sci. 26 (1965), 389–603) that for rational coefficients, continuous group cohomology of p-adic Lie groups is isomorphic to Lie algebra cohomology. We refine this result in two directions: first, we extend Lazard’s isomorphism to integral coefficients under certain conditions; and second, we show that for algebraic groups over finite extensions K/ℚp, his isomorphism can be generalized to K-analytic cochains andK-Lie algebra cohomology.

It is shown that the mod $3$ cohomology of a $1$-connected, homotopy associative mod $3$$H$-space that is rationally equivalent to the Lie group $E_6$ is isomorphic to that of $E_6$ as an algebra. Moreover, it is shown that the mod $3$ cohomology of a nilpotent, homotopy-associative mod $3$$H$-space that is rationally equivalent to $E_6$, and whose fundamental group localized at $3$ is non-trivial, is isomorphic to that of the Lie group $\Ad E_6$ as a Hopf algebra over the mod $3$ Steenrod algebra. It is also shown that the mod $3$ cohomology of the universal cover of such an $H$-space is isomorphic to that of $E_6$ as a Hopf algebra over the mod $3$ Steenrod algebra.