What, then, is real Fascism, and how does one recognize a practitioner? I put these questions to the graduate class I teach at Georgetown ... The queries were harder to answer than might be expected, because there are no fully agreed-upon or satisfactory definitions, though academic writers have spilled oceans of ink in the attempt.
-- Madeleine Albright (Chapter 1)

Importance: The questions Albright poses to her graduate students at the beginning of her course on Fascism are the questions she poses to the readers at the beginning of her book. Her students responses gives readers clues as to where Albright is going with her challenging undertaking. She returns to her discussions with her students toward the end of the book and the questions she leaves for her readers is definitely required 'homework'.

The issue before us now is whether America can continue to exhibit that brand of leadership under a president who doesn't appear to attach...
-- Madeleine Albright (Chapter 1)