X Equestris
Maester
The situation of the elves in Dragon Age could be seen as a mirror of the real life struggles of some minority groups, especially Native Americans and African Americans. The elves have had their land invaded and seized by foreigners, been made to agree to treaties with the humans which were then broken because treaties with heathens don't count, had their culture and history largely erased, been sold into slavery, and now either live in inner city slums or in close-knit communities with a deep suspicion of outsiders while desperately trying to recover and preserve their lost heritage, with those in the latter category looking down on their kin who assimilate into human culture.
...It's pretty on-the-nose, actually.
Indeed, though it's worth noting that the elves have often been their own worst enemies, bearing only slightly less responsibility for the downfall of both of their nations than the humans who invaded.