Abstract: Although quantum chromodynamics (QCD) is accepted as the theory of the strong force, there are still many properties of the theory which are not well understood. Perhaps the most elementary of these is the observed hadronic spectrum. In this talk, I discuss several different approaches to studying the hadronic spectrum predicted by QCD. In particular, I will discuss a lattice QCD determination of the nucleon-nucleon spectrum at unphysically heavy quark masses and explain how the results of this study contribute to the so-called "NN controversy". Secondly, I will summarize work done at the University of Barcelona developing a model of two-pion photoproduction, which is relevant for understanding the spectrum of light meson resonances.