Project Privacy Notice
This policy explains the types of data that could be gathered when you participate in the ‘Emptiness: Living Capitalism and Democracy After (Post)Socialism’ project (and its sub-projects), and how the data will be used.
Why is this research being conducted?
The research aims to understand the factors that contribute to the emptying of villages and other places across the study countries (Latvia, Ukraine, Russia, Germany, Romania, Moldova, and Armenia), as well as what it means to live in such conditions.
Why have you been invited to take part?
You have been invited because you live or work in the region(s) this project (and its sub-projects) is concerned with, or because you are someone who has relevant experience, expertise, or knowledge that the researchers believe can contribute to the project’s research goals. Participation is entirely voluntary.
Who is responsible for your data?
The “data controller” for this project is the University of Oxford. The University of Oxford (as the “data controller”) is responsible overall for ensuring the safe and proper use of any personal information participants provide, solely for research purposes. The University is registered as a fee payer on the Data Protection Public Register at the Information Commissioner’s Office. The University’s registration number is Z575783X and its registration expires on 12 September 2023 (renewed annually).
The University of Oxford’s full Privacy Policy can be found on the University’s website, where you can also find general information on how research participants’ data will be used.
Who has funded this project?
The project is funded by the European Research Council (ERC) Consolidator Grant [project no. 865976].
Who is the project’s Principal Investigator?
The PI is Dace Dzenovska, Associate Professor in the Anthropology of Migration at COMPAS in the University of Oxford’s School of Anthropology & Museum Ethnography.
What is the timeframe of the project?
The five-year project started on 1 September 2020 and is due to end on 31 August 2025.
How will your data be used or shared?
The information you provide during the study is the research data. Any research data from which you can be identified (e.g. your name, contact details, job/employer, audio/video recordings, photograph) is known as personal data. The researcher may also ask to process archival data linked to you. The information you give will form the basis of research outputs in multiple languages, including English, Latvian, Ukrainian, Russian, and German. This may include the project’s website.
Your answers will be anonymised as much as possible, and/or you will be assigned a pseudonym against which your answers will be recorded. Only core research team members will have access to the research data, as necessary. For the two sub-projects led by doctoral students, authorised members of the University of Oxford (e.g. supervisor) or other departmental staff may be given confidential access for monitoring and/or auditing purposes only. Your answers will be stored separately from your personal data (i.e. any information that could identify you, such as your name or contact details) and all files will be password-protected on encrypted storage devices.
How long will your data be kept for?
The researchers will keep the data for a minimum of three years after the end of the project, but possibly longer to enable future publications. The data will not be shared with researchers outside the project.
Are there any risks if you participate in the project?
There are minimal risks if you choose to participate in the project. The individual researcher will explain to you any potential risks specific to their sub-project and how they will try to reduce the risks. You do not have to agree to take part and you can ask questions at any time. You can refuse to answer any questions that you find sensitive or uncomfortable, and you can withdraw from the project without giving a reason (see ‘How do you withdraw from the study?’ below).
Will you be recorded?
Only with your permission will the researcher audio record your interview. Audio recordings are solely for the purpose of recalling the interview. Instead of or alongside audio recording, the researcher will likely take notes in their notebook. If you prefer, the researcher will only take notes.
Only with your permission will the researcher take photographs and/or video recordings of you. They will avoid capturing your face and will aim to limit your being identified, unless you explicitly agree to be identified and give your written consent. The researcher will explain to you the potential risks of your image(s) and other personal data (e.g. name, location, job/employer) being shared in research outputs, including on the website. You do not have to agree to be recorded or identified.
What will happen to your contact details?
If you agree to participate, the individual researcher will keep your contact details for the duration of the project. If the researcher wishes to keep your contact details to approach you for future research, they will ask for your permission; you do not have to agree to this request.
Where will the research be published?
The research will be published in academic publications (e.g. journal articles, book chapters, conference papers, blogs, monographs) and presented at conferences. For the two sub-projects led by doctoral students, the research will also be written up as two doctoral theses which, upon successful submission, will be deposited both in print and online in the University of Oxford’s archives to facilitate its use in future research.
Has the project received ethical approval?
Yes, each sub-project of the project has been reviewed and approved by the relevant University of Oxford ethics committee. The Principal Investigator’s ethics reference number is SAME_C1A_20_016.
What are your data protection and privacy rights?
Your rights under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which came into effect on 25 May 2018, is available from the University of Oxford’s data protection website. If you wish to exercise any of these rights, please contact the project in the first instance at emptiness@anthro.ox.ac.uk.
How do you withdraw from the study?
If you wish to withdraw from the study, please notify the individual researcher whose sub-project you participated in (see Project team) by the deadline they provided to you. This will be 30 August 2024 or earlier (depending on the sub-project) when data analysis is due to be complete and formal publications will begin. We will withdraw all your personal data from the study, including the website, but please note that any data previously shared on the website may have been downloaded and/or shared more widely by others.
How do you raise a complaint?
If you wish to raise a complaint about how we have handled your personal data, please first contact the individual researcher whose sub-project you participated in (see Project team). If afterwards you are still unhappy and wish to make a formal complaint, please contact the relevant University of Oxford research ethics committee at hod@anthro.ox.ac.uk. You can also contact the University’s Data Protection Officer at data.protection@admin.ox.ac.uk who will investigate the matter. If you are not satisfied with our response or believe we are processing your personal data in a way that is not lawful, you can complain to the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) by visiting https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/ or by calling their helpline on +44 (0)303 123 1113.
How do you contact us?
If you would like more information on how we process and protect the data collected for this project, please contact the individual researcher whose sub-project you participated in (see Project team), or email us at emptiness@anthro.ox.ac.uk. Thank you.