A Brauer algebra theoretic proof of Littlewood's restriction rules (Q1284109)

Let \(U\) be a complex vector space endowed with an orthogonal or symplectic form, and let \(G\) be the subgroup of \(\text{GL}(U)\) of all the symmetrics of this form (resp. \(\text{O}(U)\) or \(\text{Sp}(U)\)); if \(M\) is an irreducible \(\text{GL}(U)\)-module, Littlewood's restriction rule describes the \(G\)-module \(M|^{\text{GL}(U)}_G\). The author gives a new representation-theoretic proof of this formula: realizing \(M\) in a tensor power \(U^{\otimes f}\) and using Schur's duality, he reduces to the problem of describing the restriction to an irreducible \(S_f\)-module of an irreducible module for the centralizer algebra of the action of \(G\) on \(U^{\otimes f}\); the latter is a quotient of the Brauer algebra, and one knows the kernel of the natural epimorphism, hence one deduces Littlewood's restriction rule.