Geopolitical Cousins

Geopolitical Cousins

Author: Jacob Shapiro & Marko Papic Language: English Episodes: 50
There’s a certain kind of conversation that happens when two deeply knowledgeable friends, who also happen to be professional geopolitical analysts, get together without a script. That’s the space Geopolitical Cousins occupies. Hosts Jacob Shapiro and Marko Papic bring their distinct perspectives-often aligned, sometimes clashing-to dissect the forces shaping our world, from market-moving policies to underlying cultural shifts. You won’t find dry, academic lectures here. Instead, each episode feels like you’re overhearing a lively, sometimes comedic debate between two cousins at a family gathering, if that family was obsessed with the intersection of power, philosophy, and investment. The analysis is rigorous and in-depth, yet delivered with a relatable ease that can pivot from a serious interview with an expert to an off-the-wall observation about societal quirks. This podcast digs into the "why" behind the headlines, exploring how business, culture, and human nature collide on the global stage. By weaving together categories that are often kept separate-society, investing, comedy, philosophy-Shapiro and Papic create a uniquely holistic listen. Tune in for a perspective that is as intellectually substantial as it is unpredictably engaging.
Episodes
16 Books That Shaped Us [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:30:54
It's the Book Episode!!! Marko and Jacob turn their usual geopolitical sparring into a book draft: eight titles each, no rules, no rankings, just the texts that actually built their analytical muscle <3 The cousin picks…
The Esprit de Corps of Buc-ees [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:25
Drones aren't a technological revolution - they're a pain-tolerance equalizer, letting Ukraine strike refineries deep inside a country that never planned to defend them. Jacob and Marko trace the defender's-advantage pat…
The Serfs Will Have Drones [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:36:47
Cousins hits the road for its first-ever in-person episode, recorded at Matt Gertken's home in Taos, New Mexico! Jacob, Marko, and Matt dig into the brewing standoff between Anthropic and the US government over export co…
The Most Important Of All Unimportant Forecasts [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:29
World Cup Time!!!!!!! Robert Tipper and Juan Correa are our guests. --Timestamps:(00:00) - Secret Forecast Origins(01:23) - Meet The Authors(03:02) - Juan Football Roots(07:41) - Marco World Cup Memories(10:07) - Robert…
The Second Derivative [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:33:29
The Strait of Hormuz is running out of runway - and so is the Trump administration's room to maneuver... The cousins unpack why oil inventories are the real ammunition in the Iran standoff, why markets keep hitting all-t…
Forty Meters Under Fordow [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:32:28
Jacob and Marko dive straight into the Iran-US ceasefire negotiations (airstrikes are hitting Iranian ships and missile sites as I type) - dissecting domestic political constraints on both sides, the Strait of Hormuz's d…
TVI26: C***** Goes #1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:16:46
Trade Value Index 2026 Part 3!Okay, okay... Here's the FULL list -> https://tinyurl.com/gctvi26 --Timestamps:(00:00) - Welcome Back and Housekeeping(01:37) - Netanyahu Reconsidered(03:07) - Trump Iran War and Tariffs(05:…
TVI26: Jinping Rising [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:12
2026 Trade Values P2 :)--Timestamps:(00:00) - Welcome(00:42) - Part Two Setup(02:31) - Lula at Fifteen(05:17) - Macron Debate(09:57) - Noboa and Ecuador Crime(11:47) - Uzbekistan Rising(13:28) - Uzbek Reforms Deep Dive(1…
TVI26: Benchwarmers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:42:04
The Trade Value Index is back!!!!!!! Part 1.--Timestamps:(00:00) - Housekeeping(00:47) - Why We Love Rankings(02:15) - Trade Value Rules Explained(06:59) - How We Score Leaders(08:29) - What Trade Value Means(11:03) - La…
A Soybean faux-détente [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:28:44
Trump and Xi shook hands in Beijing, and yes, the soccer mom in all of us should appreciate that two nuclear superpowers are behaving like adults. But let's not kid ourselves :) soybeans and Boeing orders don't a détente…