Harnessing Public Engagement for Peace:A SAT Framework Analysis of Crisis-driven Cooperation in Non-conflict States

This article explores how large-scale public mobilisation in non-conflict states can contribute to peacebuilding amid global crises such as refugee displacement and energy disruption. Applying the Structural–Accelerators–Triggers (SAT) theoretical framework, the study analyses how structural vulnerabilities, intensifying pressures, and acute global events catalyse policy responses and public engagement. Drawing on qualitative analysis of secondary data—including policy documents and case studies from Italy, Spain, Germany, and Norway—the research demonstrates that crises such as the Syrian civil war and the Russia–Ukraine conflict heighten urgency for state action and public involvement. Structural factors such as energy dependence and geopolitical tension are shown to intersect with acute triggers, including mass migration and supply shocks, fostering momentum for peace-oriented cooperation. Norway’s diplomatic mediation and the EU’s collective energy strategy exemplify how moral authority and coordinated policy initiatives can translate a crisis into stability. The study extends the SAT model by illustrating how non-conflict countries can reframe global challenges as entry points for systemic transformation and sustained peace, and suggests future research on energy diversification, refugee integration, and the role of digital tools in civic participation.