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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. |
