Collecting sensitive data through the census is the basis forunderstanding the political and social climate in the US. A central aspect of the US census is the absolute transparency of questions aked. The US Census Bureau’s website provides an explanation on the necessity of each question. In the context of ethnicity, the Bureau states that statistics on this characteristic are helpful for the monitoring of political framework, government programs, and racial discrimination. The census is not only based on monitoring discrimination in society.

The OMB provides these ethnic categories for the census in order to create a unified data collection. These categories include ‘White’, ‘Black’ or ‘African-American’, ‘American Indian’ or ‘Alaska-Native’, and ‘Local-Hawaiian’ or ‘Pacific-Islander’.

The most recent amendment in the census is the question on ethnic origin in relation with Latin and Central Americans (Hispanic People). This aspect is clarified before the question on ethnic origin, as this category is not classified as a ‘race’ or ethnicity but rather as a nationality.

Years of discussion and constant developments of the social treatments of ethnic origins were needed to implement these standard categories. The US Census Office consulted organizations representing many minority groups. This allows minority groups to gain more control over questions that concern them. Minority groups can act as representatives for their own interests, and rights, and call for different methods of data collection in the census.

There are several different methods of data collection which apply during the census. The most common methods are survey questionnaires and interviews. First, a questionnaire is sent to the residents of a household. If not returned telephone calls and private surveys are conducted. Authorized staffs from the US Census Office complete the calls.

If the respondent refuses to provide information on ethnic origin, the interviewer shall decide on the basis of the interviewee’s external characteristics. The process of foreign identification is however, complex. All previously provided information shall be included, and then family members’ files related to identification are incorportated.