The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to public affairs:

Public affairs – catch-all term that includes public policy as well as public administration, both of which are closely related to and draw upon the fields of political science and economics.

• Public – in public relations and communication science, the contexts of "public" are:
  • Publics – groups of individuals
  • The public (a.k.a."the general public") – the totality of such groups.
• Affairs – professional, personal, or public business matters.

• Public policy – principled guide to action taken by the administrative or executive branches of the state with regard to a class of issues in a manner consistent with law and institutional customs. Public policy is commonly embodied "in constitutions, legislative acts, and judicial decisions."^[1]
• Public administration – implementation of government policy and an academic discipline that studies this implementation and that prepares civil servants for this work.^[2]

• State (polity), Sovereign state, government
  • Democracy
  • Monarchy
  • Republic
• Security
  • Crime, Criminal justice
  • Civil defense, Emergency preparedness, Community emergency response teams
  • Military
• Regulation, Deregulation
  • Industrial policy, Investment policy, Tax, tariff and trade
  • Public health, Pollution, Emissions trading
• Budget
  • Socialism
  • Taxation
  • Technocracy
• Management
• Public policy degrees

About the industry

• Public Affairs Links, an independent overview of the industry in the US and Europe
• The Museum of Public Relations, a look at some of the industry's historical figures
• Using market research for Public Relations, white paper from ICR
• A History of Public Relations, from The Institute for Public Relations

Industry publications

• PR Week , a PR trade weekly with both a US and UK edition
• O'Dwyer's PR Daily, another trade publication, occasionally featuring critical essays and investigative journalism about the industry
• PR News, online and offline publication that also issues PR awards, webinars and guidebooks

Industry associations and institutes

• The Canadian Public Relations Society, Inc., The CPRS works to advance the professional stature of public relations and regulates its practice for the benefit and protection of the public interest.
• Chartered Institute of Public Relations, the UK's leading public relations industry professional body and the largest public relations institute in Europe
• Council of Public Relations Firms U.S. trade association for public relations firms
• The Global Alliance, an international peak organisation with a mission to enhance the public relations profession and its practitioners throughout the world.
• The Institute for Public Relations is focused on the science beneath the art of public relations
• International Association of Business Communicators, an international association of 15,000 communicators, with many members from the PR profession
• League of American Communications Professionals recognizes and promotes best practices within the communications industry. Resources include a free monthly newsletter; templates and how-to guides available to members; evaluation services; and competitions highlighting the best communications materials and campaigns within the industry.
• Public Relations Institute of Australia, Institute for the public relations profession in Australia.
• Public Relations Institute of New Zealand Institute for the public relations profession in New Zealand, advancing learning, promoting professional development and working towards a greater understanding of public relations in the wider community.
• Public Relations Society of America, a professional association of public relations practitioners
• Public Relations Society of India, a professional body of public relations practitioners in India

Watchdogs and critics

• SourceWatch Provides background on PR agencies and practitioners.
• PR Watch, critiques PR campaigns
• Spinwatch, a page which monitors public relations and propaganda
• CorporateWatch, a critical overview of the public relations and lobbying industry
• Annenberg Political Fact Check, a nonpartisan, nonprofit consumer advocate which monitors the factual accuracy of statements by political players