A Study On Shanghai International Relief Association

After the "August13" incident broke out, refugees surged in Shanghai, which made the task of refugee relief burdensome. As the Kuomingtang troops retreated westward, the government had no time to handle this situation. Hence, the social groups had become the main force to help the refugees. This paper mainly studied the relief activities of Shanghai International Relief Association after the Songhu Battle. With the introduction of its establishment, organization, relief work and its assessment,the study about social refugee relief in Shanghai during the Anti-Japanese War could be more comprehensive and objective.The paper consists of preface, main body (four chapters) and conclusion.The preface mainly reviews the recent research about nationwide refugee relief as well as the situation in Shanghai during the Anti-Japanese War, and makes a statement of research objectives, methods, priorities, difficulties and innovation.The first chapter refers to the background and the process of the establishment of Shanghai International Relief Association. It mainly includes three aspects:First, the eruption of Songhu Battle brought about a large number of war refugees; second, the Kuomingtang troops retreated westward, which made the civil society groups become the main force to help the refugees; third, Shanghai International Relief Association emerged.The second chapter introduces the constitution of Shanghai International Relief Association, including the survey of working group, the situation of six refugee shelters and the refugee area in the south of Shanghai.The third chapter analyzes the main work of Shanghai International Relief Association, including rescuing and receiving refugees, raising and allocating funds, the education of refugee, the management of refugee’s health, refugee production and land reclamation.The fourth chapter analyzes the disintegration and related reason of Shanghai International Relief Association, meanwhile, gives a fair and objective evaluation about its contributions and shortcomings. The conclusion, through comparing with the traditional Chinese philanthropy,summarizes the features of Shanghai International Relief Association as a moderncharity, meantime, in accordance with the current situation, thinks about how tobuild a better scientific social assistance system.