On Friday, April 11, I joined faculty and students at Virginia Tech in a mini-conference to debate “Development and Humanitarianism.” The event was hosted by Prof. Brett Shadle and Prof. Patricia Nickel to bring together researchers who engage in critical examinations of development and humanitarianism, and researchers who engage in development and humanitarian work. I fall into the latter group, which is why it was a pleasure to meet Prof. Ilan Kapoor (the keynote speaker) and learn more about his postcolonial view on development.