Professor Samet's research centers on the international dimensions of authoritarian politics and democratization, with a particular emphasis on how opposition actors engage both at home and abroad. Bridging international relations and comparative politics, his work explores the dynamics of autocratization, how opposition parties compete in unfair elections, and how non-state actors shape foreign policy across borders. Further research examines innovations to confront democratic backsliding and the challenges of external support for democratic governance. Samet’s research draws on extensive fieldwork in Southeast Asia, his primary regional focus, complemented by analysis spanning a broad range of autocratic and backsliding contexts. His academic work has been published in the American Journal of Political Science, Comparative Political Studies, and Political Communication, and his other writing has been published in outlets including Foreign Policy, Slate, and World Politics Review.