Sentence:  Indeed, while geography is neither a key dimension of identity nor its determinant, it is one of the most important categories through which nationhood can be explored and articulated. It both grounds a sense of national <WSD>selfhood</WSD> and gives it a framework through which a continuous shaping of identity can "take place." 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  The fully developed self; one's personality, character.