Geopolitical Cousins

Jacob Shapiro & Marko Papic

Iran

United States

China

Israel

Russia

Ukraine

Venezuela

Geopolitics

Trump Administration

Strait Of Hormuz

Saudi Arabia

Multipolarity

NATO

Tariffs

Donald Trump

Canada

Foreign Policy

Artificial Intelligence

Regime Change

Middle East

Geopolitical Cousins throws together analysts Jacob Shapiro and Marko Papic for some of the most in-depth, off-the-wall geopolitical analysis in the world.

513 ratings

Publishes	Weekly	Episodes	84	Founded	2 years ago
Number of Listeners		Categories	PhilosophyBusinessInvestingSociety & Culture

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Guests Reviews Charts Talking Points

Latest Episodes

The Strongman Loser

Mailbag episode next week!!! This week - Elections. Everywhere. Everybody wants a strongman story but the strongmen keep losing and going home! Lula came back from behind against Flávio Bolsonaro. Israel turned out 77.7% of their entire voter base an... more

2 Nov 2026 • 1 hr 15 min • Most popular

YouTube

Orgy of Aneurysm

Look, France has had a riot in the streets every few years this century. Pensions in '95. The banlieues in 2005. Students in 2006, pensions again in 2010, the Yellow Vests, pensions again in 2023. In May '68 the president flew to Baden-Baden and nobo... more

26 Oct 2026 • 1 hr 14 min • Popular

YouTube

Après Trump

Three hundred thousand tons of diesel (tons, not barrels) is what Trump says he extracted from Putin. The deal is easy to mock, but it’s worth understanding why it happened. Diesel is at record highs, and every European leader publicly condemning the... more

14 Oct 2026 • 1 hr 6 min

YouTube

Trust the Process!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Scott Bessent really said “trust the process.”

Bub, do you know the process? It's the Philadelphia 76ers deliberately being the worst team in basketball for half a decade. Pick a better sports metaphor. Anyway, here’s a conspiracy theory nobody on W... more

10 Oct 2026 • 1 hr 20 min

YouTube

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Recent Guests

Matt Gertken

Geopolitical analyst at BCA Research

BCA Research

Episode: The Strongman Loser

Daniel Green

Associate Professor of Physics at UC San Diego

UC San Diego

Episode: The Warning Label Is The Pitch

Peter Zeihan

Geopolitical analyst and author

Zeihan on Geopolitics

Episode: Lessons Learned

Jeremie Peloso

Head of European Investment Strategy at BCA Research

BCA Research

Episode: What We Got Wrong About The World Cup (A LOT)

Juan Correa

Global Asset Location at BCA Research

BCA Research

Episode: What We Got Wrong About The World Cup (A LOT)

Robert Tipper

Head of Global Fixed Income at BCA Research

BCA Research

Episode: What We Got Wrong About The World Cup (A LOT)

Rory Johnson

Honorary cousin mentioned on the show

Episode: A Little Belgium Cherub Gets to Pee in Trump's Pool

Rory Johnston

Oil markets analyst and energy expert

Commodity Context / Oil Ground Up Podcast

Episode: The Supply Hole

Ed Richardson

Shipping industry expert

Episode: Why Hormuz Matters

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 513 ratings

A geopolitical connoisseur's staple diet. Must-listen if you want honest commentary on the world's events and markets. They will always "land the plane," no matter how many times they have to "double-click" on a topic.
Podcast Addict
5
atkrondawg
6 days ago
Smart guys
Smart, balanced takes, often a few weeks before they come widely recognised. Kudos cousins and see you out there
Apple Podcasts
5
User00778
United Kingdom2 months ago
The cousins are total rockstars. Full stop.
This show is mandatory listening for anybody that wants to have a clue about geopolitics. Love it. Or maybe it’s my CDSDS talking.
Apple Podcasts
5
ConstantineRodriguez
United States2 months ago
Awesome
I’ve binge listening to this and still can’t believe there’s a Bill Simmons adjacent geopolitics podcast but I’m here for it.
Let’s get a crossover show ASAP lol.
Apple Podcasts
5
Twisterdude67
United States3 months ago
Borders on satire, but the cringe is real
The last few episodes make “Professor” Jiang sound knowledgeable. Shouty nonsense and infantile “double click” rants, bold assertions that are brazenly wrong about places you can’t even pronounce; it’s just so tiresome.The mind boggles that alleged clients are paying for this kind of “advice”. (Angry remarks about justified negative reviews will not make the problem go away, either. Instead, I wish you would read up and inform yourselves properly and then have an intelligent debate reflecting... more
Apple Podcasts
1
Aldeboran
Australia3 months ago

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Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Some listeners praise the guests and the duo's chemistry, while a few episodes draw critique for perceived bias or mischaracterizations.

Policy and markets connect here with rigorous yet accessible analysis.

Smart, entertaining geopolitics with lively banter and data-driven insight.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts	#125	United States/Society & Culture/Philosophy
Apple Podcasts	#97	United Kingdom/Society & Culture/Philosophy
Apple Podcasts	#99	Canada/Society & Culture/Philosophy
Apple Podcasts	#54	Australia/Society & Culture/Philosophy
Apple Podcasts	#109	France/Society & Culture/Philosophy
Apple Podcasts	#208	Germany/Society & Culture/Philosophy

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Strongman Loser

Q: So if you accept the logic that Israel has to be kept on somewhat of a short leash by the United States because the US doesn't want the war to escalate excessively and spiral into a global recession, then in that case, it shouldn't really matter who the Prime Minister is, because whether it's Netanyahu or whether it's Eisenkot, they're going to have to sort of play ball. And I would think that Eisenkot would have to be, in fact, more conciliatory toward the rest of the world, maybe trying to patch up relations with Europe or other countries. But either way, I mean, he's a former military leader. I assume he's going to be very unhappy with the outcome in Iran because President Trump is going to have to accept all these really dissatisfying compromises. But he can't really sabotage a ceasefire because then he's just isolating Israel more. And so I guess what I'm asking is, will Netanyahu actually be more of a risk to a ceasefire in Iran, or are they both equally constrained by the fact that Israel can't afford to be completely isolated?

Shapiro says Netanyahu's political focus on Iran could make it a campaign issue and that Israel has limited ability to shape events after its actions there. He also argues Israel faces other strategic challenges, including regional relations and the prospect of reduced U.S. support. Gertken says Netanyahu could have an incentive to escalate tensions, while Eisenkot might be more inclined to follow the U.S. lead and pursue diplomacy.

The Strongman Loser

Q: So how do we think about these guys? Because there is a narrative that these are illiberal guys who are fundamentally challenging the foundations of democracy and therefore should not be allowed in the EU or causing problems with the EU or causing problems. And yet, when push comes to shove, you have a peaceful democratic transition of power. And Marko, I agree with your point exactly. People cover it ideologically, and they don't even know what to say about what happens next, because they're still fighting the old ideological battle. So if we're giving people some terminology to think about how to deal with this, because we'll need this terminology also to talk about Israel and talk about Brazil, how do you guys think about these leaders and what their legacy is going to be?

Gertken says it is important to distinguish illiberal democratic leaders from autocrats, and to consider whether leaders control the military or have its support to overturn an election. Papic adds that Serbia's opposition was weak and that the student movement created a viable alternative, while Vučić's concession enabled a peaceful transfer of power.

The Warning Label Is The Pitch

Q: What are the business implications for AI firms like OpenAI and Anthropic, especially around funding, models, and competition?

The guests discuss competing incentives: OpenAI and similar firms invest heavily in research prizes and productization, sometimes at odds with the slow, foundational nature of basic science funded by government and universities. The evolving business model may rely on partnerships with academia, licensing, and near-term monetization rather than long-run scientific breakthroughs alone.

The Warning Label Is The Pitch

Q: So what exactly happened with the math problem, and what does that say about AI's role in solving hard mathematical questions?

AI has been effective at finding counterexamples and making big leaps by leveraging existing data and techniques across multiple subfields, which challenges traditional math culture that prioritized proofs and formal validation. This shifts the mathematician's role toward understanding when and how AI can co-create knowledge, rather than replacing human insight entirely.

The Supply Hole

Q: What would reopening look like and how would prices respond in the near term?

Immediate traffic would likely cause a short-term price drop as supply resumes, but then prices could rebound as deficits manifest in inventories, with the trajectory depending on how quickly spare capacity and reserves can fill the gap.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Geopolitical Cousins

What is Geopolitical Cousins about and what kind of topics does it cover?

- This show pairs two deep-dive geopolitical analysts to unpack global power dynamics, macro markets, and technology with sharp banter and data-driven reasoning. Episodes blend current events, forecasting methods, and cultural touchpoints (sports, pop culture) to connect geopolitics with finance, energy, and policy, often challenging conventional wisdom. A standout is the duo's willingness to entertain counterfactuals and long-range scenarios while staying grounded in rigor and real-world implications, making it appealing to listeners who want thoughtful, entertaining analysis that ties world events to markets and strategy.

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Which podcasts are similar to Geopolitical Cousins?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Geopolitical Cousins:

1. The Jacob Shapiro Podcast
2. The Market Huddle
3. Monetary Matters with Jack Farley
4. Macro Voices
5. Forward Guidance

How many episodes of Geopolitical Cousins are there?

Geopolitical Cousins launched 2 years ago and published 84 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Geopolitical Cousins?

Recent guests on Geopolitical Cousins include:

1. Matt Gertken
2. Daniel Green
3. Peter Zeihan
4. Jeremie Peloso
5. Juan Correa
6. Robert Tipper
7. Rory Johnson
8. Rory Johnston

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