Free Daily Podcast Summary
Geopolitical Cousins: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Jacob Shapiro & Marko Papic
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.
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- Today1h 40m
This Is The Way The World Ends (w/ Zeihan & Gertken)
Sixteen years after last sharing a table together, four Stratfor alumni reunite for a wide-ranging conversation on the decade ahead. Jacob and Marko are joined by Peter Zeihan, and Matt Gertken to tackle three questions: How does the world end in the next 10 years? What core belief could each of us get wrong? And what's the least expected, most likely thing to happen next?The conversation ranges from deglobalization and collapsing oil supply chains to the demographic cliff facing the developed world, the odds of deflation versus inflation in the 2030s, and whether the global order ends up multipolar, bipolar, or unipolar. They also debate the odds of a US-China clash over Taiwan, and whether the nation-state can survive a coming showdown with the tech companies and billionaires who increasingly control critical infrastructure - including orbit.--Timestamps: - Welcome and Setup - Reunion at the Table - Episode Premise and Format - Zeihan on Deglobalization - Energy Shock Fallout - Demographics and Demand Crash - Deflation vs Inflation Debate - Drone Warfare Dark Turn - Semiconductors Reality Check - Marco Goes Nuclear - Russia Collapse Scenarios - Nukes Spread and Ukraine Endgame - Supply Chain Shockwaves - Putin Hell Bar Joke - Europe Expansion Debate - EU Becomes Military Union - Post Putin Chaos Risks - Russian Elite Succession - Civil War Nuclear Fear - China Fills The Vacuum - Taiwan Timeline Scenario - Drones Nukes And Invasion - Deterrence And Flashpoints - China Demographics Clash - Depopulation Not Disaster - Black Plague Lessons - Automation Versus Depopulation - Japan China Depopulation Debate - End of Nation State - Shocks and State Capacity - Broken World of More - Knowledge Networks Collapse - Affluence Feudalism Demand - Brittle AI Chip Supply - Ingenuity Gap Reversal - Rapid Fire Predictions - State Versus Tech Showdown - Wrap and Break--Referenced in the Show:https://zeihan.com/--Jacob Shapiro Site: jacobshapiro.comJacob Shapiro LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jacob-l-s-a9337416Jacob Twitter: x.com/JacobShapJacob Shapiro Substack: jashap.substack.com/subscribe --The Jacob Shapiro Show is produced and edited by Audiographies LLC. More information at audiographies.com--Jacob Shapiro is a speaker, consultant, author, and researcher covering global politics and affairs, economics, markets, technology, history, and culture. He speaks to audiences of all sizes around the world, helps global multinationals make strategic decisions about political risks and opportunities, and works directly with investors to grow and protect their assets in today’s volatile global environment. His insights help audiences across industries like finance, agriculture, and energy make sense of the world.--
- 5 days ago1h 22m
What We Got Wrong About The World Cup (A LOT)
The cousins reconvene with the BCA brain trust - Juan Correa, Robert Tipper, and Jeremie Peloso - for the World Cup post-mortem. The model called all four semifinalists but missed champion Spain, so the crew litigates whether the winner's curse is dead, whether the GOAT variable was a methodological capitulation, and what Cape Verde, Norway, and Egypt say about the value of a center of gravity. Also on the docket: Trump's Balogun red-card intervention, the treatment of Iran's squad, a Paraguayan senator's meltdown, and why immigration keeps winning on the pitch.--Timestamps: - Show Updates/Intro - World Cup Recap Setup - Guests And Agenda - How The Model Works - Winners Curse Debate - Messi GOAT Argument - Spain And Substitutions - Model Tweaks Next Time - World Cup Negatives - VAR And Tournament Fatigue - Substitution Rules Debate - Stadium Atmosphere Problems - Anthems Halftime Politics - What We Loved Most - America Production Spectacle - Drama Violence Ticket Culture - Soccer Narratives Magic - Geopolitics On The Pitch - Immigration Nation State - Wrap Up And Next Tournaments--Referenced in the Show:2026 BCA World Cup Forecast - https://www.bcaresearch.com/reports/most-important-all-unimportant-forecasts-3rd-edition-2026-world-cup-04-06-2026/219501?token=99a83421876851853383a4eb1118ddb9 --Geopolitical Cousins is produced and edited by Audiographies LLC. More information at audiographies.com--Jacob Shapiro is a speaker, consultant, author, and researcher covering global politics and affairs, economics, markets, technology, history, and culture. He speaks to audiences of all sizes around the world, helps global multinationals make strategic decisions about political risks and opportunities, and works directly with investors to grow and protect their assets in today’s volatile global environment. His insights help audiences across industries like finance, agriculture, and energy make sense of the world.Jacob Shapiro Site: jacobshapiro.comJacob Shapiro LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jacob-l-s-a9337416Jacob Twitter: x.com/JacobShapJacob Shapiro Substack: jashap.substack.com/subscribe --Marko Papic is a macro and geopolitical expert at BCA Research, a global investment research firm. He provides in-depth analysis that combines geopolitics and markets in a framework called GeoMacro. He is also the author of Geopolitical Alpha: An Investment Framework for Predicting the Future.Marko’s Book & Newsletter: www.geopoliticalalpha.com/marko-papic Marko’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marko-papic-geopolitics/Marko’s Twitter: https://x.com/Geo_papicMarko’s Macro & Geopolitical Research at BCA: https://www.bcaresearch.com/marketing/geomacro
- 2 weeks ago55 min
Operation Fun Run
Iran again. Yes, again :( nobody's thrilled, but that's the content. The cousins break down a week of tanker attacks, retaliations to retaliations, and a 20% toll that became "great investments" in 24 hours. Marko's pitch: stop forecasting oil prices and start using them - they're an input, not an output. Jacob pushes back on who actually wants what. Then Japan, where rising yields and a yen at 162 have the macro world whispering about the carry trade. Plus a super El Niño, and the World Cup - because apparently the whole planet is rooting for England now. Rare. --Timestamps: - Welcome and agenda - Iran flare-up timeline - Why Iran escalates - Oil prices drive conflict - China signals and forecasts - War 2.0 and Hormuz limits - Rangebound Oil Equilibrium - Hormuz Alternatives Rising - Spiral Risk And CPI - Trump Thesis And Forecasts - World Cup Ref Drama - Japan Yields And Global Spillovers--Referenced in the Show:--Geopolitical Cousins is produced and edited by Audiographies LLC. More information at audiographies.com--Jacob Shapiro is a speaker, consultant, author, and researcher covering global politics and affairs, economics, markets, technology, history, and culture. He speaks to audiences of all sizes around the world, helps global multinationals make strategic decisions about political risks and opportunities, and works directly with investors to grow and protect their assets in today’s volatile global environment. His insights help audiences across industries like finance, agriculture, and energy make sense of the world.Jacob Shapiro Site: jacobshapiro.comJacob Shapiro LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jacob-l-s-a9337416Jacob Twitter: x.com/JacobShapJacob Shapiro Substack: jashap.substack.com/subscribe --Marko Papic is a macro and geopolitical expert at BCA Research, a global investment research firm. He provides in-depth analysis that combines geopolitics and markets in a framework called GeoMacro. He is also the author of Geopolitical Alpha: An Investment Framework for Predicting the Future.Marko’s Book & Newsletter: www.geopoliticalalpha.com/marko-papic Marko’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marko-papic-geopolitics/Marko’s Twitter: https://x.com/Geo_papicMarko’s Macro & Geopolitical Research at BCA: https://www.bcaresearch.com/marketing/geomacro
- 3 weeks ago1h 26m
A Little Belgium Cherub Gets to Pee in Trump's Pool
Iran, Hormuz, another tanker on fire - sure, fine, but the real question is: what's actually driving the behavior here, and it's not the diplomacy everyone keeps quoting. Marko and Jacob argue it out: chokepoint tolls, the memorandum nobody trusts, oil prices doing more work than anyone wants to admit. Then Europe, because apparently that's still a thing - NATO's arms-deal theater, Le Pen's conviction, a French case nobody's making. And yes, the World Cup gets its forty minutes. It's a good one. --Timestamps: - Welcome and Episode Preview - World Cup vs World News - Hormuz Tanker Attacks - Oil Prices Drive Reality - Phony Russia Sanctions - Europe Rearms and Le Pen - Ukraine Stalemate and Crimea - World Cup Trump and FIFA - Birthright Soccer Paradox - Why World Cup Matters - American Grit on Pitch - Announcers and Fan Culture - Norway and Haaland Mythos - Trump FIFA and Nationalism - Sports as Peaceful Outlet - Predictions and Final Picks - Closing Love for World Cup--Referenced in the Show:--Geopolitical Cousins is produced and edited by Audiographies LLC. More information at audiographies.com--Jacob Shapiro is a speaker, consultant, author, and researcher covering global politics and affairs, economics, markets, technology, history, and culture. He speaks to audiences of all sizes around the world, helps global multinationals make strategic decisions about political risks and opportunities, and works directly with investors to grow and protect their assets in today’s volatile global environment. His insights help audiences across industries like finance, agriculture, and energy make sense of the world.Jacob Shapiro Site: jacobshapiro.comJacob Shapiro LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jacob-l-s-a9337416Jacob Twitter: x.com/JacobShapJacob Shapiro Substack: jashap.substack.com/subscribe --Marko Papic is a macro and geopolitical expert at BCA Research, a global investment research firm. He provides in-depth analysis that combines geopolitics and markets in a framework called GeoMacro. He is also the author of Geopolitical Alpha: An Investment Framework for Predicting the Future.Marko’s Book & Newsletter: www.geopoliticalalpha.com/marko-papic Marko’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marko-papic-geopolitics/Marko’s Twitter: https://x.com/Geo_papicMarko’s Macro & Geopolitical Research at BCA: https://www.bcaresearch.com/marketing/geomacro
- 3 weeks ago1h 30m
16 Books That Shaped Us
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 span philosophy, fiction, psychology, and history. Machiavelli's The Prince opens the list, followed by texts on Marxism, biography, social psychology, and intelligence tradecraft. Marko favors frameworks that discipline thinking; Jshap leans on fiction and history to capture how humans behave. Tune in to hear more :)--Timestamps: - Welcome and Reading Habit - Heat Talk and Air Conditioning - Book Draft Setup - Machiavelli The Prince - Talmud and Contrarian Thinking - Marx Das Kapital - Analyst Biases Primer - Framework Over Rolodex - Weber Versus Marx - Power And Human Nature - Realism And Institutions - Haunting Endings And Paradigms--Referenced in the Show:The Prince — Niccolò Machiavelli (Marko Papic)The Talmud — Jewish corpus of rabbinic commentary, no single author (Jacob Shapiro)Das Kapital (Capital) — Karl Marx (Marko Papic)All the King's Men — Robert Penn Warren (Jacob Shapiro)The Person and the Situation — Lee Ross & Richard Nisbett (Marko Papic)Psychology of Intelligence Analysis — Richards J. Heuer Jr. (Jacob Shapiro)The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism — Max Weber (Marko Papic)Master of the Senate (The Years of Lyndon Johnson series) — Robert Caro (Jacob Shapiro)Lord of the Flies — William Golding (Marko Papic)Politics Among Nations — Hans Morgenthau (Jacob Shapiro)The Tragedy of Great Power Politics — John Mearsheimer (Marko Papic)The Search for Modern China — Jonathan Spence (Jacob Shapiro)Why Nations Fail — Daron Acemoglu & James Robinson (Marko Papic)A Bend in the River — V.S. Naipaul (Jacob Shapiro)The End: Hitler's Germany, 1944–45 — Ian Kershaw (Marko Papic)The Structure of Scientific Revolutions — Thomas Kuhn (Jacob Shapiro)--Geopolitical Cousins is produced and edited by Audiographies LLC. More information at audiographies.com--Jacob Shapiro is a speaker, consultant, author, and researcher covering global politics and affairs, economics, markets, technology, history, and culture. He speaks to audiences of all sizes around the world, helps global multinationals make strategic decisions about political risks and opportunities, and works directly with investors to grow and protect their assets in today’s volatile global environment. His insights help audiences across industries like finance, agriculture, and energy make sense of the world.Jacob Shapiro Site: jacobshapiro.comJacob Shapiro LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jacob-l-s-a9337416Jacob Twitter: x.com/JacobShapJacob Shapiro Substack: jashap.substack.com/subscribe --Marko Papic is a macro and geopolitical expert at BCA Research, a global investment research firm. He provides in-depth analysis that combines geopolitics and markets in a framework called GeoMacro. He is also the author of Geopolitical Alpha: An Investment Framework for Predicting the Future.Marko’s Book & Newsletter: www.geopoliticalalpha.com/marko-papic Marko’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marko-papic-geopolitics/Marko’s Twitter: https://x.com/Geo_papicMarko’s Macro & Geopolitical Research at BCA: https://www.bcaresearch.com/marketing/geomacro
- Jun 27, 20261h 8m
The Esprit de Corps of Buc-ees
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 pattern across 1948 Israel, Vietnam, and Nagorno-Karabakh, arguing offense rarely wins against a population fighting for its home. The long-term call: Ukraine emerges as the next South Korea, corruption and all, while Putin's 2022 claim that "there is no Ukraine" ages into one of history's great own-goals. There's a new Ukraine being born, and Putin is a founding father :)--Timestamps: - Show Updates Teasers - Shaggy Marco Check In - Reflecting Pool Absurdity - World Cup Surprise Hit - Buc ees America Vibes - Freedom Why Not - Private Beach Reality Check - Zelensky Propaganda Blitz - Crimea Air Defense Strain - Putin Weakness Pivot Talk - Russian Economy Under Hood - Drones War Revolution - Defense Industry Oligopoly - Putin Mobilization Tells All - Drones and Pain Tolerance - Counter Drone Arms Race - 1948 Israel and Supply Lines - Why Conquest Usually Fails - Esprit de Corps Matters - Azerbaijan Drone Blueprint - Ukraine Economic Miracle Bet - Putin Own Goal Finale--Referenced in the Show:--Geopolitical Cousins is produced and edited by Audiographies LLC. More information at audiographies.com--Jacob Shapiro is a speaker, consultant, author, and researcher covering global politics and affairs, economics, markets, technology, history, and culture. He speaks to audiences of all sizes around the world, helps global multinationals make strategic decisions about political risks and opportunities, and works directly with investors to grow and protect their assets in today’s volatile global environment. His insights help audiences across industries like finance, agriculture, and energy make sense of the world.Jacob Shapiro Site: jacobshapiro.comJacob Shapiro LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jacob-l-s-a9337416Jacob Twitter: x.com/JacobShapJacob Shapiro Substack: jashap.substack.com/subscribe --Marko Papic is a macro and geopolitical expert at BCA Research, a global investment research firm. He provides in-depth analysis that combines geopolitics and markets in a framework called GeoMacro. He is also the author of Geopolitical Alpha: An Investment Framework for Predicting the Future.Marko’s Book & Newsletter: www.geopoliticalalpha.com/marko-papic Marko’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marko-papic-geopolitics/Marko’s Twitter: https://x.com/Geo_papicMarko’s Macro & Geopolitical Research at BCA: https://www.bcaresearch.com/marketing/geomacro
- Jun 22, 20261h 35m
The Serfs Will Have Drones
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 controls on its Mythos AI model, then zoom out to ask whether AI marks a civilizational rupture on par with industrialization itself - pitting the state, corporations, and "free-for-all" chaos against each other for control. They pivot to the Iran-Israel-US "hate triangle," the Strait of Hormuz, and what a fragile peace means for Gulf states and China. They close out with hot takes on the Knicks' title run and the World Cup.--Timestamps: - Welcome to Taos IRL - House History and Taos Lore - War Returns and Pivot Myth - Anthropic vs US Crackdown - AI as New Means of Production - Kids Screens and Ideology - Can States Control AI - Dystopias State vs Corp - Western Messiness vs Rule of Law - Tech Barons and Backlash Politics - Data Centers and Populist Response - Bull Moose Antitrust Populism - China Infrastructure Social Fabric - Boom Bust Capex Cycles - Universities Under Pressure - How Campuses Handle AI - Elitism Versus Access - Iran Endgame Framework - Hormuz Kinetic Equilibrium - US Resolve And Deterrence - Who Wins Middle East - China As Stabilizer - China Bonds And Stagnation - No Rival No Resolve - Oil Reserves And Populism - China The Adult Debate - Empire Model And Global South -Will Power Corrupt China - NBA Finals And Ticket Madness - AI Makes Live Sports Pricier - Basketball As Geopolitics - World Cup Cohesion Forecast--Referenced in the Show:--Geopolitical Cousins is produced and edited by Audiographies LLC. More information at audiographies.com--Jacob Shapiro is a speaker, consultant, author, and researcher covering global politics and affairs, economics, markets, technology, history, and culture. He speaks to audiences of all sizes around the world, helps global multinationals make strategic decisions about political risks and opportunities, and works directly with investors to grow and protect their assets in today’s volatile global environment. His insights help audiences across industries like finance, agriculture, and energy make sense of the world.Jacob Shapiro Site: jacobshapiro.comJacob Shapiro LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jacob-l-s-a9337416Jacob Twitter: x.com/JacobShapJacob Shapiro Substack: jashap.substack.com/subscribe --Marko Papic is a macro and geopolitical expert at BCA Research, a global investment research firm. He provides in-depth analysis that combines geopolitics and markets in a framework called GeoMacro. He is also the author of Geopolitical Alpha: An Investment Framework for Predicting the Future.Marko’s Book & Newsletter: www.geopoliticalalpha.com/marko-papic Marko’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marko-papic-geopolitics/Marko’s Twitter: https://x.com/Geo_papicMarko’s Macro & Geopolitical Research at BCA: https://www.bcaresearch.com/marketing/geomacro
- Jun 10, 20261h 13m
The Most Important Of All Unimportant Forecasts
World Cup Time!!!!!!! Robert Tipper and Juan Correa are our guests. --Timestamps: - Secret Forecast Origins - Meet The Authors - Juan Football Roots - Marco World Cup Memories - Robert Germany Stories - Jacob 2014 Awakening - Why Soccer Is Hard - Inside The Model - What Doesnt Predict - Group Stage Surprises - Home Edge And Curse - Why Champions Collapse - Argentina Winner Curse - Group F Chaos Picks - Bracket Quarterfinals - Portugal Dark Horse - France Wins It All - France Identity Debate - Football And Immigration - Geopolitical Matches - USA 2010 Donovan Goal - Can Soccer Unite America - Building US Infrastructure - Closing Thoughts Farewell--Referenced in the Show:2026 BCA World Cup Forecast - https://www.bcaresearch.com/reports/most-important-all-unimportant-forecasts-3rd-edition-2026-world-cup-04-06-2026/219501?token=99a83421876851853383a4eb1118ddb9 --Geopolitical Cousins is produced and edited by Audiographies LLC. More information at audiographies.com--Jacob Shapiro is a speaker, consultant, author, and researcher covering global politics and affairs, economics, markets, technology, history, and culture. He speaks to audiences of all sizes around the world, helps global multinationals make strategic decisions about political risks and opportunities, and works directly with investors to grow and protect their assets in today’s volatile global environment. His insights help audiences across industries like finance, agriculture, and energy make sense of the world.Jacob Shapiro Site: jacobshapiro.comJacob Shapiro LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jacob-l-s-a9337416Jacob Twitter: x.com/JacobShapJacob Shapiro Substack: jashap.substack.com/subscribe --Marko Papic is a macro and geopolitical expert at BCA Research, a global investment research firm. He provides in-depth analysis that combines geopolitics and markets in a framework called GeoMacro. He is also the author of Geopolitical Alpha: An Investment Framework for Predicting the Future.Marko’s Book & Newsletter: www.geopoliticalalpha.com/marko-papic Marko’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marko-papic-geopolitics/Marko’s Twitter: https://x.com/Geo_papicMarko’s Macro & Geopolitical Research at BCA: https://www.bcaresearch.com/marketing/geomacro
Get Geopolitical Cousins summaries in your inbox
Free AI-powered daily recaps. Key takeaways, quotes, and mentions — in a 5-minute read.
Get Free Summaries →Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
You Might Also Like
Listeners also like.
Mission Implausible
Former CIA officers investigate the truth behind conspiracy theories and disinformation using their intelligence expertise.
One Decision
Former intelligence leaders and journalists examine high-stakes decisions that shaped global events.
Wait a Second...
Breaks down bizarre and viral news stories with humor and deep dives into internet culture.
The Rest Is Politics: US
Insightful analysis of U.S. politics and policy from a former White House official and a veteran BBC correspondent.
Mo News
Daily news coverage with analysis, interviews, and listener Q&A on global headlines from Mosheh Oinounou and Jill Wagner.
The Team House
Deep-dive conversations on national security with special operations veterans, intelligence professionals, and frontline reporters.
Panic World
Explores how the internet distorts human perception, culture, and reality through weekly deep dives.
Pod Save the World
A former White House official and a political commentator analyze key foreign policy and global events each week.
School of War
In-depth interviews explore military history, strategy, and wartime decision-making with experts and policymakers.
The Daily Zeitgeist
A daily comedy-news podcast where hosts break down the week’s biggest stories with sharp analysis and humor to help make sense of the chaos.
Fareed Zakaria GPS
Analyzes global political issues and international affairs through interviews and expert discussions.
It Could Happen Here
A daily chronicle of societal collapse and the search for a better future amid the ruins of the old world.
About Geopolitical Cousins
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.
Customized Recaps
AI-powered recaps with compact key takeaways, quotes, and insights.
Straight to Your Inbox
Get key takeaways from Geopolitical Cousins in a 5-minute read.
Save Hours Every Week
Stay current on your favorite podcasts without falling behind.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Podzilla's Geopolitical Cousins daily summary?
It's a free AI-powered email that summarizes new episodes of Geopolitical Cousins as soon as they're published. You get the key takeaways, notable quotes, and links & mentions — all in a quick read.
How does the Geopolitical Cousins podcast summary work?
When a new episode drops, our AI transcribes and analyzes it, then generates a personalized summary tailored to your interests and profession. It's delivered to your inbox every morning.
Is this an official Geopolitical Cousins product?
No. Podzilla is an independent service that summarizes publicly available podcast content. We're not affiliated with or endorsed by Jacob Shapiro & Marko Papic.
Can I get summaries of other podcasts too?
Absolutely! The free plan covers up to 3 podcasts. Upgrade to Pro for 15, or Premium for 50. Browse our full catalog at /podcasts.
How often does Geopolitical Cousins release new episodes?
Geopolitical Cousins publishes weekly. Our AI generates a summary within hours of each new episode.
What topics does Geopolitical Cousins cover?
Geopolitical Cousins covers topics including Comedy, Business, Investing, Philosophy, Culture, Society & Culture, Comedy Interviews. Our AI identifies the specific themes in each episode and highlights what matters most to you.
Start getting Geopolitical Cousins summaries tomorrow morning.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.