Final answer:
This example demonstrates the creation of a pan-ethnic identity called 'Hispanic' among immigrants from different Spanish-speaking countries in the U.S., influenced by shared language and cultural traits, and the American tendency to group people into convenient categories for civic recognition and rights advocacy.
Step-by-step explanation:
The example of a man from Cuba and a man from Peru who both move to the United States and begin to identify themselves as 'Hispanic' illustrates the creation of a pan-ethnic identity within a new cultural context. In the United States, individuals from diverse Spanish-speaking countries often find themselves grouped under a broader ethnolinguistic label such as Hispanic or Latino. This categorization can overlook the vast diversity within these groups but also serves as a way to build a common identity among people sharing a language and certain cultural traits, sometimes for reasons of civil rights advocacy and social cohesion.
Within America, the terms Hispanic and Latino have often been used interchangeably, while some may prefer one over the other or choose to identify themselves more specifically by their country of origin, such as Mexican-American or Cuban-American. Factors like shared experiences of discrimination, a need for mutual support, and the tendency of American society to group people by certain characteristics, have led to the embrace of these collective identities. However, this classification process by the U.S. government and society has been criticized for its impreciseness and the way it can obscure the distinct histories and identities of the individual groups it encompasses.