privacy statement.

This privacy statement explains how this personal academic website processes personal data.

Controller

The controller responsible for this website is:

Benjamin Gerhard Engst
Associate Professor of Political Science
Email.

Personal data processed

This website is designed as a static academic website. It does not intentionally collect personal data through contact forms, user accounts, comments, newsletter registrations, or analytics.

However, personal data may be processed in the following situations:

1. Email communication
   If you contact me by email, I may process the information you provide, including your name, email address, affiliation, message content, and any attachments.

2. Technical server logs
   Depending on the hosting provider, technical server logs may be created automatically when you visit this website. These logs may include your IP address, date and time of access, requested page, browser type, operating system, and referring page.

Purposes and legal bases

Personal data is processed for the following purposes:

1. Responding to email enquiries and maintaining academic correspondence
   If you contact me by email, I process your data in order to respond to your message and, where relevant, maintain ordinary academic, professional, or administrative correspondence.
   The legal basis is Article 6(1)(f) GDPR, legitimate interests. The legitimate interest is communication in an academic and professional context. Where communication relates to a possible agreement, cooperation, supervision, event, or similar arrangement, Article 6(1)(b) GDPR may also apply.

2. Website security and technical operation
   Technical log data, if generated by the hosting provider, is processed to maintain the security, stability, and functionality of the website and to diagnose technical problems.
   The legal basis is Article 6(1)(f) GDPR, legitimate interests. The legitimate interest is operating a secure and functional website.

Recipients and processors

Personal data may be processed by the email service provider and the website hosting provider.

Personal data is not sold. Personal data is not intentionally shared with third parties unless this is necessary for communication, website operation, academic administration, or compliance with legal obligations.

International transfers

Depending on the email and hosting providers used, personal data may be processed outside the European Economic Area.

Where personal data is transferred outside the European Economic Area, such transfers should take place only where an adequacy decision by the European Commission applies or where appropriate safeguards under the GDPR are in place, such as Standard Contractual Clauses.

Retention

Email correspondence is retained only for as long as necessary for the relevant academic, professional, administrative, or legal purpose.

Technical server logs, if any, are retained according to the retention settings of the hosting provider and are normally kept only for a limited period necessary for security and technical operation.

Voluntary provision of data

You are not required to provide personal data when visiting this website. If you contact me by email, the provision of personal data is voluntary. However, without your contact details and message content, I may not be able to respond to your enquiry.

Cookies and analytics

This website does not use cookies or analytics by default.

If analytics tools, embedded media, maps, external fonts, social media plugins, or other third-party services are added later, this privacy statement will be updated accordingly.

Automated decision-making

This website does not use automated decision-making or profiling within the meaning of Article 22 GDPR.

Your rights

Subject to the conditions set out in the GDPR, you may have the following rights:

• the right of access to your personal data,
• the right to rectification of inaccurate personal data,
• the right to erasure of personal data,
• the right to restriction of processing,
• the right to object to processing based on legitimate interests,
• the right to data portability, where applicable.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a competent data protection supervisory authority.

Changes to this privacy statement

This privacy statement may be updated from time to time, especially if this website begins using analytics, cookies, embedded third-party content, contact forms, or other services that process personal data.

Last updated

27 July 2026