The categories that we have created in the United States to divide ourselves according to racial and ethnic characteristics are social constructions, not reflections of the natural world and as such are flexible and evolving. Yet we tend to regard and treat them as fixed, stable, scientifically grounded entities. In this way they become the basis for policy decisions and administrative actions. This article explores the characteristics of our current "racethnic" categories through the case example of the 1990 U.S. Census and raises questions about what features we highlight in creating these particular categories and what silences in public discourse are enabled by them The essay concludes with the implications for administrative practices of this public discourse on scientifically perceived "racethnicity" in two areas: the provision of client services and internal workplace diversity.
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