Causal mapping is easier if we are realist about causation. We can say that narrative accounts are full of claims about causal powers, that X had the power to affect Y, and X did exercise that power and Y was affected (perhaps in this particular case in spite of or with the assistance of other things).

Causal realism invites us to say that things have the causal power to affect other things.

The weird thing is that most physical and natural scientists think about causation in a realist way, but in the social sciences we tell ourselves not to because it isn't scientific (!).