The Public is the people and society of a nation or community, or the whole of humanity.

The public policy theory primer
The Media and the Public Sphere
Nanotechnology and the public: Effectively communicating nanoscale science and engineering concepts
Beyond the Public/Private Division
Journal of Policy Analysis and Management
Re-Thinking Science: Knowledge and the Public in an Age of Uncertainty
Evaluating the public health impact of health promotion interventions: the RE-AIM framework.
Ethics in Context: Knowledge and the Public in an Age of Uncertainty
Searching the web: The public and their queries
Habermas and the public sphere /