As the 20th Century draws to a close, cultural conflict plays an increasingly dominant role in American politics, with religion acting as a catalyst in the often bitter confrontations ranging from abortion to public education. These insightful essays by leading scholars in the field examine the role of religion in these 'culture wars' and present a mixed assessment of the scope and divisiveness of such conflicts.

This study catalogues campaign finance practices and their consequences. Topics covered include the sea-change in campaign finance; presidential and congressional candidate committees; and categories of campaign contributors, ranging from individual donors to interest groups.

The 1996 elections revealed that unmistakable, dramatic changes have occurred in the way federal campaigns are paid for. Through soft money donations, issue advocacy campaigns, and other strategems, parties and candidates have been able to circumvent the regulations put in place after the Watergate scandal.

Despite rhetorical condemnations, there is every reason to expect these trends to continue in the future.

This study of the 1996 election -- the latest in a highly praised series sponsored by the Citizens' Research Foundation -- systematically examines the new campaign finance practices and their consequences.