During a lecture about race in his sociology class, Tomas becomes confused. He recently discovered, on his birth certificate, that he was labeled as white, yet his much younger brother, Carlos, is classified as Hispanic on his birth certificate. What could best explain this discrepancy in labels?
A) How social institutions choose to label and identify racial and ethnic groups changes over time.
B) Tomas's parents did not want Tomas to experience discrimination so he was labeled white.
C) Tomas's parents felt that the Hispanic label would open doors for Carlos in education and employment.
D) By the time Carlos was born, the U.S. was more accepting of diversity and welcoming of Hispanics.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The way that social institutions choose to label and identify racial and ethnic groups is not fixed and has changed over time. In the past, there were different racial and ethnic categories, and these categories were not always consistent across institutions. It is possible that in the past, the Census Bureau or hospital records may have labeled Tomas differently than his brother, reflecting changing social perceptions of race and ethnicity.

During a Lecture About Race in His Sociology Class, Tomas