A broad term covering many fields of study, it refers to thecomposition of an entity or phenomenon (e.g., water is constituted ofoxygen and hydrogen). Scientific explanations generally identify not only causalprocesses, but also constitutive relationships or processes (see Wendt, 1998).
See Character, Organism, Systemic causality
Wendt, A. (1998). On constitutionand causation in international relations. Review of International Studies,24, 101-117.