ðɪ ˈɔːɹɪdʒˌɪnz ʌv ðɪs ɐpɹˈoʊtʃ kæn biː tɹˈeɪst bˈæk tə paɪənˈɪɹɪŋ stˈʌdiz ʌvðə nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd twˈɛnti z sˈʌtʃ ɐz wˈɪljəm ˈaɪ. tˈɑːməs ænd flˈɔːɹiən zˈiːnˈænaɪkiz ðə pˈoʊlɪʃ pˈɛzənt ɪn jˈʊɹɹəp ænd ɐmˈɛɹɪkə ænd kˈɑːɹl mˈænhaɪmz ˈɛseɪ ɔnðə "pɹˈɑːbləm ʌv dʒˌɛnɚɹˈeɪʃənz".
The origins of this approach can be traced back to pioneering studies of the 1920s such as William I. Thomas and Florian Znaniecki's The Polish Peasant in Europe and America and Karl Mannheim's essay on the "Problem of Generations".