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The death-of-class thesis argues that "advanced" societies are becoming classless and that class is losing its meaning to laity and scholars alike. One result is that class awareness is being replaced with a sense of classlessness. This study uses ethnographic content analysis of a leading Icelandic newspaper from 1986 to 2007 to analyze representations of classlessness. The study finds that representations of Iceland as a relatively classless society are common, mainly in reference to cultural classlessness. However, claims to classlessness are contested. Many argue that classlessness, particularly economic classlessness, is more myth than reality. Class division is said to be increasing, especially as the market becomes more predominant. Furthermore, claims to classlessness have increasingly become the subject of criticism. Claims to class division have at the same time increased markedly alongside rising economic inequality. These findings contradict the death-of-class thesis and suggest that class awareness in "advanced" societies is not being superseded by a sense of classlessness.
