Final answer:
Social scientists would suggest that 'black' refers to Mary's ethnicity, a shared cultural and ancestral identity, while 'Jamaican' signifies her nationality, her legal affiliation with the country of Jamaica.
Step-by-step explanation:
Most social scientists would say that black is her ethnicity and Jamaican is her nationality. Ethnicity refers to shared cultural traits and a common ancestry, which often ties individuals to a larger community of people with similar backgrounds. Nationality, however, relates to the legal relationship between an individual and a country, often the one where they were born or hold citizenship. The concept of race in society has evolved over time, and social scientists have worked to distinguish between notions of race, ethnicity, and nationality, recognizing that race is a social construct rather than a scientifically identifiable category. The terms African-American, Black, and other ethnic markers often intersect with social perceptions and legal classifications, which can vary between different countries and cultures. Mary's identity as black in terms of her ethnicity can relate to a shared diasporic African heritage, while Jamaican could specifically refer to her or her family's origin from the country of Jamaica, shaping her cultural identity and legal status.