AMERICAN STUDIES Fall 1999，Vol. 13, No. 3 ARTICLES THE KOSOVO CONFLICT AND INTERNATIONAL ETHICSShi Yinhong and Song Dexing (7) The NATO military intervention in Kosovo has initiated a debate on a series of e thical issues in contemporary world politics. The debate involves moral judgment and choices in defining basic principles and norms in international society in the new century. The article investigates the war from the angle of ethical impl ications of the relationship between great powers and weak powers, ethnic relat ions, and international intervention. The security of weaker countries, the auth or argues, depends on selfhelp as well as on nonintervention under the circ ums tance of power imbalance in the postCold War world. Of the two factors, noni ntervention is more significant in the sense of legal principle and morality. THE OPERATIONAL MECHANISM OF U.S. VENTURE CAPITALLiang Xiwei and Chen Shaojun (19) As one of the major subsidizers for new industries, the venture capital has grea tly promoted technological innovation in the United States. With a view to counterin g erroneous understanding of the venture capital, this article discusses its ope rational mechanism from the angle of its background, operational style, impact o n technological innovation and risk evasion in the light of the reality in the U nited States. THE CNN PHENOMENON AND U.S. DIPLOMACYFan Shimin (28) The American media, with CNN as its showcase, have exerted great influence on U. S. foreign policy decisions and public opinions through its live TV broadcasts a nd commentaries. The socalled CNN phenomenon has taken shape. Although it migh t be too early to conclude thereby that the relationship between the American med ia and the government has undergone fundamental changes, or that diplomatic deci sionmaking has become more democratic, it can be affirmed that American policy  makers will not ignore CNN. Instead, they may show up more often in its studio i f they want to keep or enhance their influence on foreign policy in an environme nt of wider and faster dissemination of information. THE IMPACT OF SUBURBANIZATION ON AMERICAN SOCIETYSun Qunlang (42) The move after WWII of American population and economic activities from urban ar eas towards suburbs converted the United States into a suburbanized country by the 1970s. The swift and dramatic growth of suburbanization has produced a far  reaching influence on American urban structure, population distribution, life st yle, and federal policies. CULTURE FAULT LINES IN AMERICAN SOCIETYZhu Shida (58) Fault lines exist between subcultures in America's pluralistic public culture. W hile agreeing to call the fault lines culture conflicts or "culture wars", the a uthor argues that, despite its fierceness, the culture war has not touched upon the very core of the mainstream American valuefreedom, wherein there is no fau l t line. Therefore, the public discourse based on public philosophy may provide m echanism for dealing with culture conflicts under new historic condition in the 21st century. The mainstream American value will develop in the changing society , maintaining its tradition of e pluribus unum. U.S. LOCAL AUTONOMY: CHARTER OF THE CITY OF BERKELEYSu Pengfei (81) Taking the Charter of the City of Berkeley, California, as the object of a case study, this article investigates the local autonomy under the U.S. Constitution. Studies are made of the division of power between state and city, the city mana ge r system in Berkeley, disciplines for city government and its officials, and the mechanism of social supervision stipulated in the Charter. The author believes that the implementation of the autonomy at the grassroots level will greatly e n hance the constitutional awareness of American people despite all the deficienci es in the present system. THE SUCCESS OF AMERICAN JEWS AND JEWISH CULTURAL TRAITSPan Guang (93) Making up only 2.3% of American population, American Jews have exerted great inf luences on American politics, economics and culture. Investigating American Jews ' road to success and the reasons therefor, the author examines the integration of the longstanding Hebrew Jewish civilization with the modern NorthAmerica n culture. He views the mixture of AmericanJewish culture as the major reason wh y these people have been able to achieve such a striking success. BOOK REVIEWS AN ANALYSIS OF “THE BENIGN UNIPOLAR PEACE” ——COMMENTS ON POST PAX AMERICANALi Xiaohua(119) AN EXCELLENT TREATISE ON U.S.CUBAN RELATIONSHIP ——COMMENTS ON COLLISION: CASTRO AND THE U.S. PRESIDENTHao Mingwei(132) ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES A SUMMARY OF THE SYMPOSIUM ON ETHICS AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONSShi Yinhong(141) NEW BOOKS(151) HOW TO MAKE ANNOTATIONS(155) EDITORS NOTE(160)