Semisimplicity of certain representation categories

Abstract: We exhibit a correspondence between subcategories of modules over an algebra and sub-bimodules of the dual of that algebra. We then prove that the semisimplicity of certain such categories is equivalent to the existence of a Peter-Weyl decomposition of the corresponding sub-bimodule. Finally, we use this technique to establish the semisimplicity of certain finite-dimensional representations of the quantum double of sl_2 for generic q.