We investigate the generalised diffeomorphisms in M-theory, which are gauge transformations unifying diffeomorphisms and tensor gauge transformations. After giving an En(n)-covariant description of the gauge transformations and their commutators, we show that the gauge algebra is infinitely reducible, i.e., the tower of ghosts for ghosts is infinite. The Jacobiator of generalised diffeomorphisms gives such a reducibility transformation. We give a concrete description of the ghost structure, and demonstrate that the infinite sums give the correct (regularised) number of degrees of freedom. The ghost towers belong to the sequences of rep- resentations previously observed appearing in tensor hierarchies and Borcherds algebras. All calculations rely on the section condition, which we reformulate as a linear condition on the cotangent directions. The analysis holds for n < 8. At n = 8, where the dual gravity field becomes relevant, the natural guess for the gauge parameter and its reducibility still yields the correct counting of gauge parameters.Comment: 24 pp., plain tex, 1 figure. v2: minor changes, including a few added ref

We show how to implement T-duality along non-abelian isometries in backgrounds with non-vanishing Ramond fields. When the dimension of the isometry group is odd (even) the duality swaps (preserves) the chirality of the theory. In certain cases a non-abelian duality can result in a massive type-IIA background. We provide two examples by dualising SU(2) isometry subgroups in $AdS_5\times S^5$ and $AdS_3\times S^3\times T^4$. The resultant dual geometries inherit the original AdS factors but have transverse spaces with reduced isometry and preserve only half of the original supersymmetry. The non-abelian dual of $AdS_5\times S^5$ has an M-theory lift which is related to the gravity duals of N=2 superconformal theories. We comment on a possible interpretation of this as a high spin limit

We review recent developments in duality symmetric string theory. We begin with the worldsheet doubled formalism which describes strings in an extended spacetime with extra coordinates conjugate to winding modes. This formalism is T-duality symmetric and can accommodate non-geometric T-fold backgrounds which are beyond the scope of Riemannian geometry. Vanishing of the conformal anomaly of this theory can be interpreted as a set of spacetime equations for the background fields. These equations follow from an action principle that has been dubbed Double Field Theory (DFT). We review the aspects of generalised geometry relevant for DFT. We outline recent extensions of DFT and explain how, by relaxing the so-called strong constraint with a Scherk-Schwarz ansatz, one can obtain backgrounds that simultaneously depend on both the regular and T-dual coordinates. This provides a purely geometric higher dimensional origin to gauged supergravities that arise from non-geometric compactification. We then turn to M-theory and describe recent progress in formulating an E n(n) U-duality covariant description of the dynamics. We describe how spacetime may be extended to accommodate coordinates conjugate to brane wrapping modes and the construction of generalised metrics in this extended space that unite the bosonic fields of supergravity into a single object. We review the action principles for these theories and their novel gauge symmetries. We also describe how a Scherk-Schwarz reduction can be applied in the M-theory context and the resulting relationship to the embedding tensor formulation of maximal gauged supergravities.