Which statement best describes the relationship between ethnicity and minority status?

• A. Ethnicity always ensures minority status.
• B. Minority status is determined solely by population size.
• C. Ethnicity and minority status are related; an ethnic group can be a minority group and may face discrimination.
• D. They are completely unrelated.

Answer: (C)

Ethnicity and minority status are related because ethnicity (shared culture, heritage, language, and identity) can form the basis for being a minority within a larger society, and these groups are often the targets of discrimination or unequal treatment. Being a minority isn’t just about how many people exist in a population; it also involves power, representation, and access to resources. So an ethnic group can be a minority in a given context and may face discrimination, even though that isn’t true in every setting. The other options oversimplify, claiming minority status is based only on population size, or that ethnicity and minority status are unrelated, which is not accurate.