ɪts ˈɔːɹɪdʒˌɪnz æz ɐ sˈʌbfˈiːld ʌv ˌænθɹəpˈɑːlədʒi bɪɡˈɪn wɪððə pˈoʊlɪʃbɹˈɪɾɪʃ fˈaʊndɚɹ ʌv ˌænθɹəpˈɑːlədʒi, bɹˈɑːnɪslˌɔː mˌeɪlɪnˈoʊski, ænd hɪz fɹˈɛntʃ kəmpˈeɪtɹɪət, mɑːɹsˈɛl mˈɔːs, ɔnðə nˈeɪtʃɚɹ ʌv ɡˈɪftɡˈɪvɪŋ ɛkstʃˈeɪndʒ ɔːɹ ɹᵻsɪpɹˈɑːsᵻɾi æz ɐn ɔːltˈɜːnətˌɪv tə mˈɑːɹkɪt ɛkstʃˈeɪndʒ.
Its origins as a sub-field of anthropology begin with the Polish-British founder of anthropology, Bronisław Malinowski, and his French compatriot, Marcel Mauss, on the nature of gift-giving exchange (or reciprocity) as an alternative to market exchange.