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Analyse des
Vermisstenfalles Madeleine McCann by Daniela
Prousa |
Analyse des Vermisstenfalles Madeleine McCann is written
by German author and psychiatrist, Daniela Prousa. It
is essentially an interpretative phenomenological
analysis (IPA) of the McCann’s given accounts regarding
the disappearance of their daughter
Madeleine McCann. Prousa examined in detail
how the McCann’s make sense of and perceive significant
events in their lives, namely the events conceived on
the evening of May 3rd 2007, the night
Madeleine disappeared. She obtained data from many
written and visual expressions of the McCann’s, via
their
blog on their website, media statements and
interviews and television appearances. During her study
she asked curious and critical questions of their
accounts, actions and emotions – verbal and non-verbal –
such as “What is this person trying to achieve here?”
and “Is something leaking out here that wasn’t
intended?”
Through her analysis, Prousa concluded that Madeleine
McCann died because of an accidental fall off the sofa,
either immediately after her parents left the
apartment
or shortly after
Gerry McCann’s check at
around 9.10pm. Further, she believes that it was
Kate
McCann who initially found Madeleine and that
Gerry came in later to support her in covering up the
accidental death of their daughter.
In her book, Prousa refers to the opinions of criminal
psychologist
Dr. Christian Ludke.
Ludke, who has regular contact with parents who have
lost a child due to crime, warned early on in the McCann
investigation the McCann’s behaviour was
pointing towards them being involved. During interview
he explained that in his experience parents in such
circumstances as being posited by the McCanns “are under
massive shock, were helpless, were insecure, withdrawing
themselves.” ”They have an inner struggle, blaming
themselves for possibly not have looked enough after
their child.” Conversely, the McCanns “live completely
different, often harmonic.” Already after a few days
they went jogging, as if that was a normal thing to do,
they always came together.” ”These parents took matters
into their own hands instead of leaving matters in the
hands of the police. They distanced themselves from
their two other children by going on a European tour,
that to me is very strange.” The interview with Ludke
can be read here
christian ludke
Prousa also cites Dr Gonçalo Amaral. Amaral initially
headed the investigation into the disappearance of
Madeleine McCann, he was removed from the case in
September 2007. His central thesis was not dissimilar to
that of Prousa’s. He too considered the idea that
Madeleine died because of an accident in apartment 5a
and that her parents along with several others colluded
to cover-up her death.
Amaral also published a
book, Maddie:
A Verdade da Mentira
(Translates, Maddie: The truth of the Lies). The
McCann’s along with their solicitor
Isobel
Duarte were successful in banning this book.
Maddie: A Verdade da Mentira can be read in English here
AMARALS_BOOK_ENGLISH
Whilst Prousa’s book prima facia appears to make for
good reading, readers should be mindful that IPA is
concerned with trying to understand what things are like
from the point of view of another person, to take their
side, to stand as far as possible (which is never
completely possible) in the shoes of the chosen
individual. People often struggle to express what they
are thinking and feeling, there may be any number of
reasons why they do not wish to self-disclose,
particularly in public. Thus, the researcher has to
interpret the person’s mental and emotional state from
what he/she says. No matter how objective one tries to
be, subjectivity remains a problem in IPA.
That said, I will certainly be amongst the first in the
queue once Prousa’s book has been translated into
English. In the meantime I would welcome the thoughts
and opinions of German readers.
Analyse des Vermisstenfalles Madeleine McCann can be
purchased from
Amazon’s
German web site. |
