Even in Iceland? Exploring mothers’ narratives on neighbourhood choice in a perceived classless and feminist utopia

Abstract

The study explores how mothers in Iceland, a relatively new nation state that is perceived as being gender equal, classless and homogeneous, adapt and respond to international trends of consumer cultures. Building on studies about parental neighbourhood choice, parental practices and reproduction of social class, the study’s aim is to examine the local manifestations of those in an international context. To reach this aim, nine interviews with middle-class mothers who live in either disadvantaged or privileged neighbourhoods in terms of income, education level and ethnicity were analysed. Our findings on middle-class anxiety over class reproduction being mediated by neighbourhood and school choice are in accord with international literature. Our findings depart from the literature in the way that social capital reproduction plays out in the most affluent neighbourhood and the importance the most affluent middle-class mothers put on geographical closeness to their extended families.