  We use a novel method based on the semi-classical analysis of sigma-models to
describe the phenomenon of strong localization in quasi one-dimensional
conductors, obtaining the full distribution of transmission eigenvalues. For
several symmetry classes, describing random superconducting and chiral
Hamiltonians, the target space of the appropriate sigma-model is a (super)group
manifold. In these cases our approach turns out to be exact. The results offer
a novel perspective on localization.
