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Purpose – Drawing on Transformative Learning (TL) theory, the authors suggest a new and novel way to approach the study of violent radicalization.

Methodology/Approach – First, their argument is supported by the development of a Transformative Radicalization (TR) framework that borrows and adapts the core tenets of TL theory. Second, they provide a preliminary illustrative exploration of TR using two autobiographical accounts of militant radicalization (Islamist and Anarchist) from the UK and Canada.

Findings – Radicalization is a cognitive and emotional process of change that prepares and motivates an individual to pursue violent behavior. That process of change is incremental; individuals learn and adopt novel political, social, ideological, and/or religious ideals that justify and legitimize indiscriminate violence. The TR framework provides a more nuanced appreciation for the cognitive aspects involved in this process. The authors’ empirical illustrations provide guidance on how subsequent research might use original interview data on individual radicalization processes to develop more in-depth, cross-case comparisons.

Originality/Value – This theory builds a cross-disciplinary understanding of violent radicalization that highlights the way adults learn, alter their meaning perspectives, and change their behavior.

In the May/June 1982 issue of RDM we published an article by Stuart Eliot of UMIST which discussed the contribution that superstores can make to inner city areas. In this article Leigh Sparks develops some of the points made by Stuart Eliot, and in particular discusses the employment and locational policies of superstore retailers in more detail. However, there are considerable costs involved for retailers in opting for inner city location, as has already been pointed out by more than one major retailer. Occupancy costs — especially rates and car‐parking — are considerably more than the same costs in an edge‐of‐town location. There are also indirect costs in terms of the greater risks arising out of vandalism and shrinkage. Distribution and handling costs are, in general terms, lower in single‐storey stores which are more suited to edge‐of‐town locations. But, argues Leigh Sparks, why should retailers be expected to pay the cost of the government's inner city dilemma? The government should recognise the contribution that inner city superstores can make in employment and social terms, and extend inducements to retailers by way of capital expenditure and rates allowances.

Ordinary computers are “out”, integrated workstations are “in”, though mostly they are merely computers with a large hard disk, full range of software, a modem, and a menu front‐end for easy access to all this. Dawson Technology Ltd, who launched a new Integrated Workstation (IWS) at their London offices on 19 April, have added a compact disc reader to it and this makes good sense in a library environment. The software included is a menu generator and DOS interface, the Open Access2 integrated package (wordprocessor, spreadsheet, graphics and database) and communications. There is also “ATE” which is an automatic text editor developed by a research team at Leicester Polytechnic especially with library and office tasks in mind. Thus one can sit at the keyboard and use LA NET or other E‐Mail services, external databases, CD‐ROM disk or use full business‐style word and data handling. Subscribers to Dawson's inter‐library lending product AIM or SMS, their serial‐handling package can readily access them from the same terminal. Any data or text generated in or downloaded by these facilities can be automatically edited into any predetermined different format for input to any of the others. If such easy access to all the data of many systems is thought inadvisable nine levels of password protection can be provided. The price is a very modest £3,950 for an IBM AT‐compatible 12MHz machine with 40Mb hard disk, 640K RAM, CD‐ROM reader and all that software, some of it exclusive to the workstation. Should a library have existing equipment of similar capacity the Automatic Text Editor alone is available at £475. The workstation behaved perfectly at the Press demonstration — the only serious misgiving expressed was that if a library were to use AIM, SMS, carry out substantial report‐writing, and be heavily tempted to download into a local database from external databases or CD‐ROM, then 40Mb would fill up quite quickly. Librarians would do well to consider whether 80Mb and extra memory could be afforded from the start. The low price implies that purchasers of the workstation would not need, nor expect to receive, more than token support although training can be provided initially. Details of the workstation or Dawson's systems can be obtained from Dawson Technology Ltd, Cannon House, Folkestone, Kent CT19 5EE (0303–850537).