Engin was born in Dersim (Tunceli) in Turkey and emigrated to Germany in 2000. He holds his doctorate in political science from the Department of International Relations with a focus on the Middle East at the Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg.
He studied at the University of Istanbul, Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg, SOAS-University of London and Harvard University.
He has taught at various universities in Germany and abroad, such as Heidelberg University, Heilbronn University, Mainz University, Worms University of Applied Sciences, FOM University of Applied Sciences and Tomsk Polytechnic University in Russia.
He is currently working as a Senior Researcher and Lecturer at the University of Kassel.
His articles, poems and essays were published in several languages (German, English and Turkish) in numerous newspapers and magazines, among others. in: Die Zeit, Die Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ), Focus Magazine, Mannheimer Morgen, Frankfurter Hefte, Migration and Social Work, deutsche jugend, The Jerusalem Post, Hurriyet Daily News and Economic Review, Journal of Turkish Weekly, Eurasian Magazine, FES Forum, Radikal as well as published on numerous websites.
In addition to his numerous essays and poems, he is the author of several books. Lastly, "Nation Building" - Theoretical Viewing and Case Study: Iraq "by Nomos Verlag.