Lie Theory: Unitary Representations and Compactifications of Symmetric Spaces, a self-contained work by A. Borel, L. Ji and T. Kobayashi, focuses on two fundamental questions in the theory of semisimple Lie groups: the geometry of Riemannian symmetric spaces and their compactifications; and branching laws for unitary representations, i.e. restricting unitary representations to (typically, but not exclusively, symmetric) subgroups and decomposing the ensuing representations into irreducibles.

Ji's introductory chapter motivates the subject of symmetric spaces and their compactifications with carefully selected examples and provides a good background for the second chapter, namely, the Borel–Ji authoritative treatment of various types of compactifications useful for studying symmetric and locally symmetric spaces. Kobayashi examines the important subject of branching laws.

Knowledge of basic representation theory of Lie groups and familiarity with semisimple Lie groups and symmetric spaces is required of the reader.